NEW CANE FARMERS ASSOCIATION FORMED

August 09, 2007

With news from Orange Walk here is Manuela Ayuso.

Manuela Ayuso:Love FM

“The Sugar Industry Control Board has issued an alert to all cane farmers to not be ‘Mislead by any offers or promises made to them for Sugar Industry representation.’The release follows the announcement of the formation of a new group called the United Cane Farmers Association.According to the SICB release,the Sugar Industry Act of Belize establishes that Belize Sugar Cane Farmers Association,to be the sole representative body for registered cane farmers in Belize and no other organization is therefore legally authorized to carry out any of its functions.The United Cane Farmers Association,however,had sought legal representation and are preparing to install its by-laws this afternoon.For the last three months,Wilfredo Magana has been consulting with cane farmers of the Orange Walk District and Belize,that this new United Cane Farmers Association,will be better able to service the farmers.We spoke to Magana to find out how the group came about.”

Wilfredo Magana:United Cane Farmers Association

“The reason we got together was because we were a whole group of farmers and a lot of the problems that we’re having is because of the factory;not just in terms of when we kept the line at the factory but the information from the factory to the driver are never together.When we have strikes,it has to be organized by us at the factory and it creates loss for everyone,both factories and drivers and cane farmers at the end of the day.When we had a strike the last time,we went into the factory and we found out that the problem was the chairman from the association.There is not a system where the information is passed into the farmer,whether through the media or through newspaper,and so problems arise and no information.We have to stand on our own and it’s not the best thing for cane farmers.On the last strike,we decided that we would go to the association and find out what is the financial position of the association.We got good information which we confronted the chairman with later at the police station.I asked him,why is it that you bought a vehicle for the association for the price of $22,000 with a cheque of $28,000 and so he pocketed $6,000.Why would you do that?We went to the association eight o’clock in the morning as it opened and we called the man there and asked him to come to the association because we needed to see some financial information of the association,especially concerning the vehicle.The man had showed us a financial report of $17,000.What the man did was circle around Orange Walk and got hold of us to try and stop us from going into the association to get the financial report which we were already getting ourselves organized because we need to find the financial report of the association.When we went there,we gave the man until two o’clock and we went by the association at 1:30pm only to find a lot of policemen upstairs and downstairs.We wanted to know what was going on because we were just cane farmers walking into the association trying to get some financial reports which is our duly right.We went to the association and tried to get our truck filled with water and that same afternoon we were on strike.When we came back from the factory,the group was even bigger and it was seventy-five of us.We told the man that he needed to show us the financial reports of the association and he called the police and I was arrested.Mr.Mariano was very nice.He said,let us find out what the problem is so there won’t be a conflict between the farmers and the association.When you look at the figures of the association,which I got a hold of,you can see that these people spent like $19,874.They have something they called special allowance which was $21,420.They have another one they call director’s allowance$32,910 and underneath they have one called responsibility and overtime allowance,$42,441 and it goes on,and it goes on,and it goes on,and on,and on.We tried to get some financial input from the man.”

Manuela Ayuso:Love FM

“So what it is then,that the new cane farmers Association,the United Cane Farmers Association,is intending to do?”

Wilfredo Magana:United Cane Farmers Association

“Well this is our sole intention,that we can oversee our financial situation with a more servicing way because this is not what we’re getting done.There is no service at all;bad service for the sales,bad service for the factory and bad service for the association.”

Manuela Ayuso:Love FM

“Mr.Magana,is this association going to be working separately from the current Belize Cane Farmers Association?”

Wilfredo Magana:United Cane Farmers Association

“Well,what happened is that there are two applications.One is resigning from that association and applying to this association but yes it can work separately.What we are doing to this specifically,we have a register and we will register our association on August 10, 2007.Today what we are planning to do is we are going to several big farmers from all over the villages.We hope to have more than forty farmers today and we’re having a legal representation and we’re getting together today to finalize the new by-laws of the association because we to took the chairman to the police station where we had four meetings at the where it was requested to provide the June financial information on July 10^th .The man said he did not have to bring that and show any form of financial information because they are not even providing that for some of the directors.”

Manuela Ayuso:Love FM

“How do you plan to carry out this new association if the Sugar Industry Control Board,which is the government body,issuing a release saying that the Belize Cane Farmers Association,according to law,is the sole authority that is suppose to represent the cane farmers?How is this going to work?”

Wilfredo Magana:United Cane Farmers Association

“Well,we just found out this today.I’m a little bit surprised because we do have legal people to answer that for us.I am a little bit surprised because any little movement Manuela,that we’re doing,we’re informing the Sugar Board.As a matter of fact,they are working and you have to respect the board because you have to respect BSI because they are the buyer.We’ve had a conversation with Mr. Neal and they don’t get involved in association.They just realized that and they will buy our sugar cane and we’re pretty close to the sugar board and so I don’t know why the Sugar Board releases that.But when the farmers look at the big picture,it is no longer profitable for our farmers to be in that association.It is so reckless now and it’s been happening for years and it’s so reckless,financially.And we could’ve gone on and on with the finances for two weeks but it is time for the farmers to unite.There is crisis in the industry.It is so painful to see how the farmer is getting picked out of the industry because they cannot survive,there is no information,we don’t have no help.And so this is what we’re doing.We want to unite and we want to work with the board because we have to work with them and whichever government is in place and this is healthy.We are doing it so transparent that at this point I can say that the response from the farmer itself is,80%-85% or the farmers is saying that yes,we need to do it because we have to unite and combine together so that the industry can survive and I think this is the time.”

Manuela Ayuso:Love FM

“The United Cane Farmers Association has retained its services of attorneys Hubert and Wilfred Elrington.A meeting with the cane farmers for the association of the new association by-laws,will take place this afternoon at the United Cane Farmers office,at #120 Otro Benque Road.Another meeting with all cane farmers is scheduled to take place at the People’s Stadium this coming Saturday.All attempts to contact chairman of the Belize Sugar Cane Farmers Association has been futile.Reporting for Love FM News from Orange Walk Town,I am Manuela Ayuso.”

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