#BTEditorial – New Sugar must be cooperative by name and nature

In the wake of the historic transition from the state-owned Barbados Agricultural Management Company Co. Ltd (BAMC) to the newly established Agricultural Business Company Ltd. (ABC) and Barbados Energy and Sugar Company Inc. (BESC), both owned by the Barbados Sustainable Energy Co-operative Society Limited (Co-op Energy), it can no longer be business as usual with the treatment of the sugar industry’s workers.

The traditional top-down leadership structure of the industry is no longer sustainable – images of workers at locked gates are no longer acceptable. 

As BAMC wrapped up its operations, scores of dedicated sugar workers were left anxiously awaiting news of their rehiring under the new entities – something that had been previously guaranteed as a seamless, automatic transition. The uncertainty surrounding this process has left many in the dark, emphasising the need for clear communication and transparency during this critical period. It is the very cooperative ownership model that is an opportunity for a more inclusive and worker-centric approach, marking a significant departure from traditional forms of ownership. Frankly, the workers deserve better. We expect better.

This transition is not merely a change in corporate structure; it also symbolises a shift toward a sustainable and energy-focused future. The Barbados Workers’ Union (BWU) and the Sugar Industries Staff Association (SISA) rightly express concern about the lack of information, fearing potential disruptions to the upcoming 2024 sugarcane harvest. We perhaps missed the part where these unions were offered automatic share ownership in the cooperative on their membership’s behalf. Again, the old structures cannot stand.

The change of ownership even from a government in a democratic nation to the sons and daughters of thousands of descendants of those brought by force to this country to grow and mill sugar is nonetheless a seismic shift. But we have missed opportunities to put workers at the centre of this industry before.

We are left to recall the failure to secure a Sugar Workers Provident Fund from the record 1965 sugar windfall payment. Sir Frank Walcott, our national hero of the labour movement considered it his greatest regret that the workers did not save for their futures. They should not see this bumpy start to the sugar industry’s evolution as yet another opportunity to cash in and bail out.

Past oversights need not repeat themselves in this transformative phase.

The cooperative-owned sugar farming and milling companies have the potential to reshape the narrative of nearly 400 years of Barbadian sugar. It is an opportunity to prioritise workers’ rights, job security, wealth creation and representation. The first sugar harvest under this new dispensation looms, and timely communication on the rehiring process is crucial to alleviate workers’ concerns. But it cannot end there.

In the interim, we will hold Minister of Agriculture Indar Weir to his word that concerns will be addressed through a forthcoming news conference. It can’t come soon enough; the success of this sea change hinges on proactive engagement, transparency, and a collaborative effort between all sides.

We cannot stress enough the profound departure from historical norms that this transition signals. It represents a redefinition of the relationship between sugar industry workers and their livelihoods. The cooperative-owned nature of these new firms has now become the essential linchpin of an approach that now completely diverges from the enduring master-servant dynamics that persisted for a hundred years after emancipation in 1834.

Yet, we have also noted the scrutiny that borders on carping of the divestment of the sugar industry. We are dismayed by the lack of support for an ownership model that provides a tangible break away from the shackles of history. Additionally, the deafening silence from private growers, many of whom have inherited the capital and land-owning power of the planters of old, is as unfortunate as it is notable. Their decades-long battle with the union over improved pay and working conditions ultimately led to the revolutionising of Barbadian society; the planters were found wanting in that revolution so perhaps we should not be surprised by their absence at this juncture.

The cooperative-owned firms now offer a unique opportunity to build upon these hard-fought improvements and forge a new era of collaboration between workers and industry stakeholders.

Let us then embrace this moment to redefine the relationship between sugar workers and their industry. Cooperativism should not only signify a change in ownership but also a commitment to a more equitable and sustainable future for those who have dedicated years to the cultivation and processing of sugar in these fields and hills. We hope this moment and this opportunity will not be lost on the industry’s new leaders because this time, finally, the workers are on top.