Tag: 2024-08-29
B.S.C.F.A. Official Addresses Sugar Commission
The Commission of Inquiry into the sugar industry heard from Chief Executive Officer of the Belize Sugar Cane Farmers Association, Oscar Alonzo today. He told the Commission that since the formula for the payment of sugarcane was first derived in 1966, there has not been any kind of agreement on the part of cane farmers that the formula ensures they are getting their fair share of the profits. Alonzo pointed to the contention, distrust and divisiveness that has developed between the investor and producers and he expressed hope that the inquiry can lead to having an industry working with greater unification and harmony. He said that the sugar industry regulations have served a purpose in the past, but that there is need now for them to serve a better purpose for the foreign investors and the cane farmers. Alonzo hopes for a partnership between both parties where one does not have to take the information provided by the other, but one where the information is shared freely.
Oscar Alonzo, C.E.O., B.S.C.F.A
“One of the fundamental factors is the issue of disclosure of information. If we could achieve a greater measure of this being improved on, I think this would help a lot because the disclosure of information is at the root of what we are experiencing at the moment. The investors, foreign and whatever the case might be, have generally tended to use the expression of private sector – private business – to justify their reluctance to disclose information, but they have also used terms like free market economy, capitalist accumulation, things that we don’t object to; it’s part of what we are involved with. That would work if we had a situation where we are equals, where it is not a process where the powerful which invariably has been the foreign investor and the weaker party which is the local producer having to literally accept without question what is given to them in terms of the commercial nature or the commercial value of the transactions that occur. Allusions have been made to the fact that we should not touch the issue of the cane payment and the formula that exists because no consideration of profit-sharing should be part of that; we should consider a concept of values and having the pie grow and not sharing the pie. I think this is an interpretation being given just to further reinforce the reluctance to provide information.”
B.S.C.F.A’s Attorney Says Amend the Sugar Industry Regulations
Ahead of the inquiry, the B.S.C.F.A had hired Senior Counsel Magali Marin-Young to make presentations on its behalf. Today, Marin-Young expressed, on behalf of the association, the importance for the Commission to investigate the legal framework, as well as the Sugar Industry Regulations to see how it could strengthen them, the weaknesses and what she termed as the unequal bargaining power and lack of transparency and information.
Magali Marin-Young, S.C, Attorney for B.S.C.F.A
“You have one miller in the northern districts for Belize sugar cane farmers to sell their produce to. It is in effect, a monopoly. There is no other miller that the canefarmer can sell his sugarcane in any cost-effective manner. Santander is all the way near Cotton Tree in the Cayo District. For it to transport its sugarcane would make it highly inefficient, so the canefarmer has nobody else to sell but to the one miller in the northern districts. So, speaking on behalf of the Belize Sugar Cane Farmers Association, and as signaled by the CEO, I think it is time for us to seriously look at the legislative framework. It is not working. It leads to a contentious situation.”
B.S.C.F.A Official Raises Issue with Net Strip Value Method of Payment
Chairman of the association’s Finance Committee, Javier Keme told the commission that there is concern over a disadvantage in the current model of the Net Strip Value, which Belize Sugar Industries/American Sugar Refinery uses in the method of payment to cane farmers. Keme explained that they are paid by percentage, but they believe that the figures can be manipulated.
Javier Keme, Chairman, B.S.C.F.A. Finance Committee
“Depending on the first estimated price, which is the first issue that the farmer is at a disadvantage because BSI at arriving at a first estimated price, in our view figures are being manipulated because the NSV model offers that on the side of the marketing prices to be conservative, to be on the lower end, and on the costs to be on the upper end. That cost would be more. This automatically results in a low first estimated price and the first estimated price is what give ground to apply a formula that if its over forty-two dollars, it’s going to be eighty-five percent. If it’s more, the percentage reduces to eighty percent of that estimated price. This creates a big challenge to the producers and it worsened over the years with the cost of grain inputs increasing. Why? Because as the first estimated price is calculated, it only covers the cost of harvesting. Remember that the producer had already embarked on a loan or financing to do the maintenance cost or investments in the production for that respective crop.”
B.S.C.F.A Believes Solution to Sugar Shortage is More Production
Chairman of the Orange Walk branch of the B.S.C.F.A., Alfredo Ortega said that the farmers are not in agreement with the idea that increasing sugar prices will solve the problem of the sugar shortage on the shelves. He told the commission that what should be considered is simply producing more sugar to supply both the local and the foreign markets.
Alfredo Ortega, Chairman, B.S.C.F.A, Orange Walk Branch
“Everything that uses sugar will go up and we don’t think that by increasing the price will solve the problem and it’s also not good for us being a sugar-producing country having two mills not to have sugar on the shelves as our community needs. SO we as the B.S.C.F .A are concerned of that issue. We think there are methods that can be put in place to reduce the smuggle out of here or as they have said to us many times, that the local sugar is the best price that they have, whenever there are reduced prices around the world. So what they should do then if they want to have this outgoing of sugar is produce more local sugar.”
Feinstein Group Lawyers Up Against GoB
The Government of Belize might be facing yet another lawsuit after it decided to compulsorily acquire a portion of Stake Bank land. The twenty-three point four acres of land is owned by the Feinstein Group’s Chairman, Michael Feinstein. A press release from the Feinstein Group, refers to government’s decision as high-handed interference in a private sector dispute. It continues by sharing its view that the matter that is before the High Court is unfair and improper for several reasons and it goes on to list several, a port of which we “first, government is siding with Honduran businessmen of questionable business practices. Atlantic International Bank Limited was, in 2019, forced to pay twenty-three million dollars to settle Federal Trade Commission charges for its involvement in the massive Sanctuary Bay land fraud. That bank collapsed and the Hondurans allowed Atlantic Bank International to go into receivership rather than satisfy all its outstanding creditors. Second, earlier this year the domestic Atlantic Bank Limited was slapped with a substantial fine by the Central Bank of Belize for irregular banking practices. Third, these Honduran businessmen have no experience in developing cruise ship port facilities”. On Tuesday, Commissioner of Lands Talbert Brackett informed Feinstein via letter of the government’s plan to acquire the land and stated that the acquisition was for a public purpose. The letter also informed Feinstein that he can present proposals for the government to voluntarily purchase the land, but that if he doesn’t, the government can acquire the land. The acquisition would be within six weeks of the second declaration being published in the Gazette. The land is the subject of a High Court civil matter to determine ownership between Atlantic Bank and Feinstein. Development at the cruise facility stopped in March. News Five attempted to get a comment from the Feinstein Group but our efforts were futile.
Police Pleads Guilty to Hitting Man in Head with Padlock
A police officer has plead guilty to hitting a detainee in the head with a padlock back in 2023. He is Inspector Christopher Martinez, who is accused of removing the padlock from a jail cell and striking businessman Aaron Flowers in the head with it. Flowers alleges that he was beaten by Martinez while detained in a holding cell after he discovered that Flowers was the person who allegedly opened fire at his residence with a firearm. Martinez appeared before the court today represented by senior council Simeon Sampson, where he pleaded guilty and apologized to the court for wasting their time. Earlier this year, Martinez, who was then represented by attorney Andrew Bennett, requested a sentencing indication as he was considering pleading guilty. However, when he was told he would be given a custodial sentence he chose to push the matter further before the court. Bennett would later recuse himself from the case after allegations arose of Martinez attempting to bribe and intimidate Flowers into settling. Today, his guilty plea was recorded and he is due back in court on September thirteenth for mitigation.
Immigration Officer Accused of Extorting Three Thousand US Dollars Back in Court
The immigration officer accused of extorting three thousand U.S. dollars from a Jamaican traveler was back in court today where she was provided full disclosure of her case. Allegations are that in March of this year, thirty-one-year-old Monique Escalante demanded three thousand U.S. dollars from Jamaican national Janhoi Richards while he was at the Philip Goldson International Airport. Escalante claims that she was legally authorized to do so as an immigration officer. The disclosure amounted to one hundred and four pages and three CD’s that make up the evidence which the police will be relying on to prove a case against her. Escalante’s previous attorney Audrey Matura had claimed that her client was innocent, and her arrest was a scapegoat for the corruption of senior immigration officers. Escalante is now represented by attorney Leslie Hamilton and her next court date is set for November eighth, 2024.
Something Stinks at Pound Yard Market
On Tuesday, vendors from the Pound Yard Market reached out to News Five to bring attention to the unsanitary conditions they have been working in for the past week. According to the vendors, the trash bins located at the back of the market have been overflowing, causing a foul smell to disturb the nearby vendors. They also complain that due to the recent rain, the trash bins have been leaking in the surrounding areas. Today, News Five’s Britney Gordon visited the market to hear from the vendors affected by this situation.
Britney Gordon, Reporting
The Pound Yard Market Stinks and no one is happy about it. Vendors and customers cannot bear the stench of trash and polluted water from overflowing trash bins placed directly near stalls. Vegetable Vendor, Armando Solis, who has a stall near the bins, tells us that he has tried every avenue to get the issue resolved for the past few days.
Armando Solis, Produce Vendor
“We already called the human department and I believe actually I cannot tell ypu who come to see it and the only answer that they give us that they was going to speak with the administration and the following day city council come and they said the same thing that they’re going to speak with the administration that happened last week and no nothing is happening we have been I have been spoken with the with one of the administrator that is supposed to be doing something for us about the garbage. And he said that they are working on it, but up to now we don’t see they are working on the garbage. And it’s an issue because we have a kitchen on the side. We have a vegetables vendor right there. And all the customers that are passing, they’re saying we have a, that’s not correct.”
The garbage is picked up once a week, on Wednesdays. By Monday morning the foul odor is unbearable, and the bins are swarming with houseflies. It is an unwelcoming environment where no one wants to purchase food. Ana Portillo, a food vendor for over ten years, says the market administration told her that she can relocate, but she does not want to uproot her business.
Ana Portillo, Food Vendor
“He say I have the option to move from here to that place, but this is my place for a long time, so I don’t want to move from here.”
Britney Gordon
“Your customers know that you are here, and so you feel that if you move, that might affect business too?”
“It could be.”
Previously, the bins were located further behind the market, but they have since been moved because of apartments being built nearby.
“They just moved it front because I believe they’re doing some apartment da back. And they say that for the apartments, it’s not good, but it’s good for us.”
Britney Gordon
“That sells food.”
“Yeah, that is good for us to have it there. And the apartments not even finish it. So the new customer have not reached there yet. We have been here for a couple of years and they don’t put that in value.”
To the vendors, the situation is dire, with no clear end in sight. According to the Pound Yard administration, it is a temporary situation. About a decade ago, similar complaints were raised at the nearby Michael Finnegan Market, but a garbage facility has since been built at the back of the market. Kelvin Aguilar, a manager at the Pound Yard Market, explained that the team is working to implement that very same solution.
On the Phone: Kelvin Aguilar, Manager, Pound Yard Market
“What happened is that we needed a location to put the garbage bin so that we can build the permanent foundation for the bin. What what we are doing now is that we are building some apartments on the right side of the property and we wanted to build a fence with a gate to facilitate the Belize Waste Control to come and pick up the bin, no? And due to the fact that this has always been Issue for us, we want to address it in the best for the best way possible. So we have also signed documents to get a bigger been, which is seven feet longer than the existing been that we have. And because the bin is bigger, we need a bigger foundation, the one that we are going to get we are going to put walls around it with a proper drainage system on the foundation, and we will have hours. In place for the entire market to come and throw away their to get disposed of their garbage.”
According to Aguilar, there was no where else to place the bins while the structure is being built, as Belize Waste Control needs enough space to pick up the trash. As a temporary fix, the market is purchasing a bigger trash bin and a shed.
“We have put gravel and I have instructed the guys to also put lime. The white lime. This soaks up the little drainage that is caused due to the rain and the garbage and everything, which we believe that putting a shed is going to help alleviate that. What happened is that the vendors are getting rid of, of vegetables that haven’t sold and, all the waste and so when it rains, this causes the flies and all that kind of stuff. It causes a smell and everything. So we believe that by putting the shed and everything in place, it’s going to help.”
While the vendors wait for the problems to be resolved, the administration asks that they all throw their trash inside the bin, instead of the surrounding area, to minimize leakage.
On The Phone: Kelvin Aguilar
“We have to all work together to try and help this. It’s just a temporary situation, so I expect that by this next week, it should be solved.”
Britney Gordon for News Five.
The Cost of Deforestation at the Supermarket
As we go about our day-to-day activities, not much thought is given on the impact of deforestation on scarcity and high costs of fresh produce at the supermarket. But certainly, we all feel the pinch when we visit the grocery store to purchase farm fresh products these days. Well, the experts lay the blame, in part, on climate change. When lush, virgin, forest is cleared for agricultural purposes the carbon they store is released as carbon dioxide that contributes to climate change. We have all seen the effects of climate change, from long periods of drought to unprecedented rainfalls. Now clearly, a small country like Belize is not making any significant contributions to global emissions, but experts would agree that deforestation is not doing any good. So, what value does the forest contribute to the agricultural sector? News Five’s Paul Lopez tell us more in tonight’s installment of Belize on Reel.
Paul Lopez, Reporting
Data from the University of Maryland’s Global Land Analysis and Discovery show that Belize lost one thousand, one hundred and seventy square miles of forest cover between 2001 and 2023. That is six hundred and forty thousand acres of virgin forest.
Clifford Martinez, Climate Change Coordinator, Ministry of Agriculture
“Studies have shown, and indications have shown that the damaging sector has been with activities related to land clearing for agricultural production. So it is land use change for agricultural produce.”
Clifford Martinez is the Climate Change Coordinator at the Ministry of Agriculture. Research shows that when trees are cut down, the carbon they store is released into the atmosphere. These large land clearings are often undertaken for agricultural purposes. The agro-productive sector contributes just under twenty percent of the nation’s GDP.
“And also where the sector itself represents a large portion of foreign investment earnings. As well as the population of individuals involved in the sector who benefit directly or indirectly and more importantly the percentage of the working force, the labor force, in and around thirty percent of the labor force are from the agriculture sector.”
Ironically, the effects of climate change, including unpredictable weather patterns and increasingly severe weather events, threaten the economic livelihood of persons working in the agricultural sector. Ever Blandon is a vegetable farmer and the secretary of the Valley of Peace Lagoon Farmers’ Cooperative, a group of rural small farmers.
Ever Blandon, Secretary, Valley of Peace Lagoon Farmers’ Cooperative
“With climate change it is very difficult to know when it will come, when you will have it. For example, two days ago in the night we had as much water that we get in a whole month, so that will put you in some kind issue with the vegetable. Cabbage, it cannot be more than two hours under water, and it gets spoiled.”
That then leads to a trickledown effect at the market and in grocery stores.
“That eventually will be a lose to the farmer and the market. Last year there was flooding and the cabbage was ready to harvest and some farmers cut it under water. And when they took it to the market it was spoiled. So, it is something that is a lose on all points. For the farmer and the consumer. Eventually you will have a high price on the market.”
“We are in the north so the more common one is the drought that has affected us for the past three years, the sugar industry. We are still recovering from citrus greening in the south.”
Connecting the dots from deforestation to the high cost of fresh produce at the supermarket may not be as challenging when the effects of climate change are considered. So, what can be done to reduce these negative impacts from a policy standpoint? We asked the Minister of Sustainable Development, Orlando Habet.
Orlando Habet, Minister of Sustainable Development
“I think one is land degradation. It is absolutely important for the agriculture ministry and the department and us in the sustainable ministry to do agriculture in a sustainable way. Gone are the days when we just got bulldozers to clear down land to do agriculture. Also, looking at the land use policy which is now under way. Now looking at that land use policy, which land is appropriate for agriculture, which land is appropriate for land development in terms of urbanization. We see right now areas where especially in the south, going down the Hummingbird, when I was younger I use to go down very slow, because you want to see the beautiful scenery and two because their road was curvy, so you have to be careful. But we saw agriculture happening in the valley, but now we see agriculture happening on the mountain side.”
Jahzir Sanchez, Youth Farmer
“Me as a farmer, my grandfather before he died, he left us land right there. The forest we leave it like that. We don’t touch the forest. The forest is for sticks. We use it when we need to build corrals for the cows. We leave that, if necessary, we cut down. If not, it is necessary we don’t cut down. We have enough land to plant. We have the backyard. We have the field in front of the house. All these lands can be used, not only for football.”
Reporting for News Five, I am Paul Lopez.