Latest sugar talks said to be at ‘sensitive’ stage

With the projected mid-February start of this year’s sugar crop now off the table, industry stakeholders are pushing for as early a harvest as possible.

Senior officials of the state-owned Barbados Agricultural Management Company (BAMC) said on Monday that negotiations are continuing with the various unions and no new date has yet been set for the crop to start.

Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the BAMC Orlanda Atherley declined to provide details of the latest state of affairs, but has said preparations at the lone operating sugar factory were going “nicely”.

Chairman of the Barbados Sugar Industry Limited (BSIL) Mark Sealy also declined to provide any specifics about the negotiations, only to say things are “close”.

“I know that everyone is working hard…I know that BAMC is working very hard to get the factory ready in time for an improved start date from last year. Bear in mind we started on March 15th [last year],” Sealy told Barbados TODAY.

However, the BSIL head, whose union represents private cane farmers, said he would like the crop to start no later than February 21st.

“It would have been the best thing to start on February 15th. We would like to start at least by February 21st. Any later than the 21st, in our opinion, the sucrose content will start to diminish because the canes are ripe and they are ready to be harvested. We should really be harvesting from the 15th, the 21st wouldn’t be a disaster,” he said.

The BSIL leader is hoping for an early pay settlement, pointing out that his union is scheduled to meet again on Tuesday with the BAMC management.

“We will be working hard on it. We had three meetings so far. I think all sides are committed to a resolution and I think all sides recognise that it’s very important, not only for the sugar industry, but for Barbados, to have a timely start to the crop,” he contended.

President of the Sugar Industry Staff Association (SISA) Dwight Miller also said ongoing negotiations were at a sensitive stage and he didn’t consider it appropriate to comment further.

SISA represents the supervisory staff in the sugar industry.

Deputy General Secretary of the Barbados Workers’ Union (BWU) Dwaine Paul, whose organisation represents the field workers, could not be reached for comment.
emmanueljoseph@barbadostoday.bb