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The Belize Sugar Cane Farmers Association has taken steps to advance the reform process for the organization that is charged with the management of the affairs of thousands of Belize’s cane farmers.At a special general meeting on Sunday in Corozal, the farmers approved an amendment to the Standing Orders of the Association, giving them better control over the way meetings are conducted in the future. Carlos Magana is the Chief Executive Officer for the Belize Sugar Cane Farmers Association.
Carlos Magana ; CEO Belize Sugar Cane Farmers Association
“That was presented in Spanish so that everybody can understand, but several sections of the standing orders are things that belong to our internal bi-laws. Therefore, in the moment that they were presented there was minimal discussions when it came to the standing orders and it was approved by a vast majority of the cane farmers that were present. That opens to us a new way in which, as an organization we have to act in a much more professional manner. This is because one of the things that it opens is that as an association now prior to any meeting we need to hand in any documents that are going to be discussed and people and farmers who wan to view their points or give any motion will need to do so in writing to be discussed at the AGM.”
Chairman of the Committee of Management for the Association Eric Eck says now that the bye-laws have been amended, things should proceed more smoothly in terms of managing one of the big foreign exchange earning industries for Belize.
Eric Eck ; Chairman, Committee of Management
“This was in consequence that we were in conversation with the Solicitor General from the Government of Belize in which the bi-laws required an annex in which these terms of reference had to be submitted. The standing orders were approved by the membership. This gave a huge tip to the association because these standing orders have never been approved to the association. Now that we have the standing orders we know clearly which steps we are going to do to carry out a meeting. These standing orders will have to be approved by the SICB, the Sugar Control Board, and we have to come back to the membership legally now to vote for the QIP.”
The QIP that Eck talks about is a Quality Improvement Program that Fair Trade and Tate and Lyle have imposed on the farmers. It is an eighteen million dollar project that has as its stated goal to improve on the overall productivity of Belize’s sugar industry. And although the amendments agreed to by the farmers on Sunday are yet to be approved by the Sugar Industry Control Board, the Association still went ahead and called for a vote by the farmers on whether or not they want the Quality Improvement Program. In the spirit of the amended bye-laws, that vote should not have been held ; but both Magana and Eck say they are just trying to make life easier for the cane farmers. First we hear from Eric Eck.
Eric Eck ; Chairman, Committee of Management
“I know that cane farmers and tired. We have been having meeting after meeting so that is why I propose that we take a vote for the quip so that when the board approves the bi-laws along with the annex that has been voted for today. If the quip vote can be back tracked, that is what will follow.”
Carlos Magana ; CEO Belize Sugar Cane Farmers Association
“It was voted in the sense that it is subject to the board’s approval. It is for us as cane farmers to come together again and in the mass that we had today, so the vote is being taken, it is reserved and it is there. Over 800 people that voted for it with just two individuals voting against the quip so now we are expecting the Sugar Industry Control Board to approve the standing orders, the bi-laws and the Articles of Association.”
Magana says that when the amendments are approved by the Sugar Industry Control Board and a proper vote on the QIP is taken, the Association will then be n touch with Fair Trade and Tate and Lyle to inform them of the recent development. That will then open up the way for the transfer of Fair Trade moneys to Belize. As we understand it, sixty five percent of the 18 million dollars will be used for the Quality Improvement Program, fifteen percent will be used for social projects approved by the general membership of the Cane Farmers Association and the next twenty percent will be spent on the branch offices. And while the farmers have cleared one hurdle, they are facing another as there is a challenge to the Sugar Act which as it currently stands recognizes only the Belize Sugar Cane Farmers Association. Another group called the United Cane Farmers Association is trying to gain legal footing and has challenged the Act in the Supreme Court. Magana says all the back and forth is doing more harm than good to an industry that all the farmers say they care very much about.
Carlos Magana ; CEO Belize Sugar Cane Farmers Association
“Many things have happened. If the judge decides, after hearing both sides, decides that it remains as is because of the implications it can have for the industry. Then nothing happens, the reform process continues and I think the standing orders give us a way of showing our professionalism within the Sugar Cane Association. Never the less, if the judgment is against the act then it will have an implication. We have information that the Mennonite community is also planting sugar cane. As I mentioned to the farmers, we cannot, as Belizeans, it is going to be very difficult to foresee. If that does happen as the organization with just 42 tons as the main demander he will be affecting a whole industry ; 1.2 tons of sugar cane.”
Love News understands that the hearing on the challenge to the sugar Act of 2000 has been adjourned until 9:30 on Monday morning. Reports are that the lawyer representing the United Cane Farmers Association, Hubert Elrington today asked the judge for a restraining order that would have effectively barred the Belize Sugar Cane Farmers Association from entering into any agreement until the application challenging the constitutionality of the Sugar Cane Farmers act is heard. But we are told that the judge denied that request because Elrington did not provide the necessary documentation supporting a request for an injunction.