C.G.A. to Hold Special Meeting
A special general meeting has been requested by a group of forty-six farmers, including former Citrus Growers Association Chairman Bryon Bowman, to address the current financial state of affairs of CGA. That date is set for Saturday, November twenty-sixth, ahead of a scheduled annual general meeting in December. The farmers are demanding that CGA releases its in-house financial statements for the period 2012 to 2016, as well as disclosure of its Revolving Fund Account for the same length of time. They are also calling for accountability of the current state of CGA’s shareholding in Citrus Products of Belize Limited. This afternoon, News Five spoke with Bryon Bowman by phone and he says that they exceeded the required signatures necessary to trigger a special general meeting.
Isani Cayetano
“In terms of this particular move to garner as many signatures to trigger a special general meeting, what percentage, more or less, of the total members of the Citrus Growers Association does the affixed signature on the petition list represent?”
On the Phone: Bryon Bowman, Former Chairman, CGA
“You know the association by law has to maintain a registry of growers for inspection during normal working hours at its office at nine miles. So I visited there twice and I counted, there’s two hundred and twenty-one more or less and eighty-seven provisional members and our petition has about twenty percent of the full members as only full members can vote at these special general meetings. We have about twenty percent.”
Isani Cayetano
“Has there been a general conversation with members of CGA concerning the existing state of affairs at the association with regards to the finances?”
On the Phone: Bryon Bowman
“There’s been several conversations and discussions with growers. Many of these growers have been speaking with us, nothing formally, no formal setting. But as they meet us they are asking us what’s going on with our association, they cannot access the funds. So there’s been a lot of communication, a lot of dialogue, hence we started this drive.”
Isani Cayetano
“Now I understand that you guys made an attempt to deliver the letter on Monday but that attempt was unsuccessful. However, you Mr. Bowman, personally hand delivered the letter this morning. What was the reception from the CGA Secretary regarding the delivery of this letter?”
On the Phone: Bryon Bowman
“Well Isani, it was unfortunate that we went there yesterday and no one was there but I went by today and they were actually in a staff meeting. I called the secretary by phone and she came downstairs to meet me and accept the petition. So it was very, very cordial. She signed that she received the letter and the petition with the signatures.”
