PHD enjoying better relationship with dairy farmers

DAIRY FARMERS in Barbados are getting a fair price for the milk they are selling to the Pine Hill Dairy. In addition, the love/hate relationship between them and the company appears to be a thing of the past.

This is according to Richard Cozier, a director of the company and outgoing CEO of Banks Holdings Limited (BHL).

Cozier, who has retired from BHL, said that the drought which was experienced in Barbados last year had resulted in lower milk supplies from the farmers leading to some importation of the commodity by the Dairy. However, that situation has changed.

He spoke at a retirement function held in his honour at Tampas Restaurant on Friday night.

“The farmers are now getting the full price for everything they supplied to the PHD and the market is very receptive to consuming the product.
We don’t see that changing in the immediate future,” said Cozier.

He said that over the years there had been a love/hate relationship between the dairy farmers and the PHD. “I am glad to say that over the last year to year-and-a-half, we have a much better relationship. We have quarterly meetings where we discussed problems in general and have reached solutions to them,” he said.

Cozier said that the PHD is doing well with its financial results showing record profits over the last financial year. A similar story will be shown for BHL when the group’s overall financial statements are released. He said that they always had strong brands and it was only a matter of time before they start to see the benefits of the strong decisions taken.”

Several persons on hand paid tribute to Cozier, who worked at BHL for 39 years. Among them was Donville Inniss, the Minister of Industry, International Business, Commerce and Small Business Development. Inniss said that Cozier contributed to the growth of the BHL Group and the manufacturing sector in Barbados.

Others paying tribute were Sir Allan Fields, former BHL Chairman; Lisa Ridley-Paul, HR Manager; Aubrey Choy, family friend;Tony Barrow, post Mix Service Manager; Trevor Tasker of BCB Communications; and Daniel levorin, BHL Integration Manager.

The stretch of the road where BHL is located will now be called the Richard Cozier Drive with Levorin having presented Mr. Cozier with the road sign.