Minister of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries, the Hon Audley Shaw, has commended the management of Appleton Estate for the plans that the company has developed to ensure a smooth and amicable transitioning of former sugar cane workers and farmers with the closure of the factory.
‘We must work together to promote and preserve the interest of all stakeholders,” said Minister Shaw, who assured the stakeholders of Government’s continued support to the industry.
The Agriculture Minister was addressing participants in a virtual meeting organised by the Ministry of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries on August 12 to discuss issues relating to the factory’s closure as well as to plan the way forward.
The Minister also expressed appreciation to the management of Pan Caribbean Sugar Company and Worthy Park Estate for agreeing to facilitate the processing of sugar cane in the upcoming season from the farmers in St. Elizabeth and Clarendon, respectively.
Appleton Estate also came in for high praises from trade unionists Granville Valentine, General Secretary of the National Workers Union (NWU); Clifton Grant, 1st Vice-President, University and Allied Workers Union(UAWU); and Hanif Brown, Island Supervisor, Bustamante Industrial Trade Union (BITU) who commended the company for its inclusive approach in its plans, which include provision of housing assistance, continued assistance to former workers’ children through scholarships and educational programmes, and write-off of loans while noting that the training and retraining of the workers was of paramount importance.
Among the issues discussed with the high-level representatives from the All Island Jamaica Cane Farmers Association, trade unionists from the NWU, UAWU and the BITU, and representatives of Appleton Estates, Pan Caribbean Sugar Company and Worthy Park Estate was the provision of subsidy for transportation of cane to the factories.
Also in attendance were representatives from the regulator Sugar Industry Authority and SCJ Holdings.
Government also gave a commitment to Appleton Estates to provide support for the regularisation of lands currently occupied by farmers and workers.
Going forward, the SCJ Holdings, in partnership with the Rural Agricultural Development Authority, is to determine the infrastructural requirements for lands to be allocated for farming of alternative crops. Other follow up actions include finalisation of agreements for processing of sugar cane between Pan Caribbean Sugar Company, Worthy Park Estate and Appleton Estates, the divestment of sugar cane growing operations in St. Elizabeth and Clarendon to a group of former senior managers and the handling of sugar sales quotas via the Sugar Industry Authority between marketing agents.
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