PM Says Act Is to Ensure Timely Association Meetings

Prime Minister John Briceno also chimed in on the Amendment, insisting that the legislation does not give the Minister control over the association and the Sugar Control Board. According to the PM, his Administration only seeks to ensure that cane farmer association elections are held in a timely manner.

Prime Minister John Briceno

“All we want to ensure is that these Associations hold their elections every year, what is so difficult about that? We have one association in particular; that from it was incorporated has not had an election. They refused to call election. And then, the people that are starting to clamor for elections, then they are being kicked out of the Association. And, we can’t allow that to happen. It has nothing to do that the Minister wants to control these associations. The Belize Sugar Cane Farmers Association, which is by far the biggest Associations, if they could have had their elections safely, why is it that the smaller Associations cannot have their elections? Why not?”