Farmers Lose Big in Court Over Sugar Mill Protest

As indicated, the Belize Sugar Cane Farmers Association (BSCFA), Pablo Burgos, and Canuto Alpuche are all in the hole for five hundred and sixty-three thousand five hundred dollars, as per this week’s court ruling.  The monies are to be paid to the Belize Sugar Industries (BSI) and the Belize Cogeneration Energy Limited (BCEL) following a protest that saw the sugar mill blocked and prevented from carrying out its operations.  History would show that the upset and protests by sugarcane farmers have become an annual staple in the north especially at the start of the sugar crop.  For Vladimir Puck, the President of the Corozal Sugar Cane Producers Association (CSCPA), he views it as a lesson on responsible protesting and civil negotiations.  Interestingly, Puck says he has heard reports that the government will assist the BSCFA in paying the damages declared by the court.

Vladimir Puck, CSCPA President: “Sometimes as myself as a leader of the organization, which can farmers entrusted me with this position, have to do some tough decisions at some times and having demonstrations and having other type of resistance sometimes has consequences, right? And those actions at the end of the day, in regards to law and order, in a country, well we need to take a stand. And unfortunately, this time well these cane farmers that were not happy with what or how they are doing business with the mill, well ended up this way. We had the CSCPA we have  a little different mode of how we  deal with our internal issues with the mill. And thanks to the good Lord well we have managed to stand for these nine years. But still, I would strongly advise anyone that things are changing. The laws are going to be enforced and I think that Belize is a country of law, as well as our Prime Minister always says. So at the end of the day these actions have consequences. But what I’m more concerned is the fact that what my farmers are sharing with me is that why is the government  going to aid or help them to pay off their debt with the courts to BSI/ASR? And that is something that we will have a lot of questions needed to be answered to our key informants, right? And we have to give a very good, good, good response to it. And also I think the media will definitely start to give us a call to ask in that regard. It’s very sad, I would say, but also we need to be very responsible of our actions.”

Puck has been the president of the Corozal Sugar Cane Producers Association since 2018.