THE AUDACITY OF LEROY PARRIS, claiming that since the freezing of $4.5 million of his $20 million assets, he can’t meet living and business expenses. The Prime Minister allegedly gave advice to the Speaker recently. I wonder if he offered any to his pal Mr Parris?
I certainly can’t advise him, but if I were in a similar position I would be hiding in the nearest hole, thanking my lucky stars that Bajans have traditionally been peaceful and hoping they remain so.
June Fowler’s fears that the resolution to the CLICO saga might be derailed by certain alleged and sometimes acknowledged friendships are well founded. And to those who don’t see why Government is becoming involved, have they forgotten that successive governments failed in their regulatory function?
Now to the sugar money: Another promise but until farmers have the cheques in hand, they continue to live in hope.
And, in response to questions asked of me in the Saturday Sun, I wasn’t aware I defended the “sugar planter class”, whoever they are, but I’ve defended and will continue to defend the sugar cane industry and agriculture in general, and those who are committed to its success. Success depends not only on the field aspect, mostly owned by private farmers, but also on the processing aspect owned by Government.
As far as I know, farmers plan to improve yields (of sugar rather than cane per acre) by using slow release fertilisers and improving soil biological characteristics, decrease costs and increase efficiency by testing various labour-saving machines and methods like strip tillage and monitor sugar output per acre from various variety/soil combinations, while seeking a fair price for their product.
I don’t understand what’s meant by “what has been done to keep production going year round”. Cane is planted around October and reaped 16 to 18 months later. Ratoons are harvested, grown for 12 months and harvested again. All this, of course, depending on when the powers that be allow harvest to start – which in fact has been another cause of the industry’s demise. Owners have diversified their farms by growing and processing vegetables, which keeps labour employed year round.
Reducing processing costs is Government’s responsibility. What I’ve never understood is why sugar costs $4 100 per tonne. Farmers supply the raw material (cane). If it takes say 11 tonnes of cane to make a tonne of sugar and farmers up to now have been paid $60 per tonne, that’s $660 in raw material. Can the Barbados Agricultural Management Company (BAMC) account for the remaining $3 440? Is it part of the $2 million per week needed to run BAMC?
The acreage sold by plantations for development over the past 40 years is considerable, but the Town & Country Planning Department is better able to give an accurate figure and say why it gave permission. I’ve often commented on greedy developers, masquerading as farmers, seemingly running land into bush to make a case for development. Interestingly, there’s a farmer on one side of a particular road claiming agriculture doesn’t pay, and on the other side of the same road one who is a role model in agriculture.
Should the Barbados Foundry and Plantations Ltd have been investigated? Maybe investigations are still going on, based on the speed at which CLICO’s investigation is happening.
While some money Government took from the industry went towards pensions for those not eligible for NIS pensions, the majority was used for reasons totally unrelated to the industry.
Regarding treatment of plantation workers over the past 50 years, these years coincide with independent Barbados. Are you saying that the “colonial masters” treated agricultural workers better? Interestingly, about 70 plantations were owned by descendants of slaves since the 1940s. I agree that agricultural workers don’t enjoy the comforts of many other workers, and I’ve always admired their resilience under trying weather conditions, but rural people are more resilient, and in fact part of the industry’s problem is that there’s an increase in “urbanised workers” with no tradition in agriculture.
I’ll conclude by paying tribute to Leslie, an outstanding worker who has recently emigrated to the US. If all workers in the industry possessed his talent and work ethic, agriculture in Barbados would be miles ahead.
Dr Frances Chandler is a former Independent senator. Email fchandler@caribsurf.com