Sugar cane industry still on the cards

In fact, Prime Minister, the Right Honourable Freundel Stuart, told media personnel attending a luncheon at Ilaro Court last week, that effecting that transitioning is especially urgent and is “proceeding apace”. He made the point as he contended that the change in the character of the sugar industry necessitates the move in this direction.

 

His remarks came as he referred to an earlier point made during in his talk with the media about the state of the sugar industry in Barbados, which he noted has gone from producing 204,000 tonnes of sugar in 1967, to now struggling to reach 10,000 tonne this year. However, he said that in those almost 50 years, other sectors including tourism and the international sector have recorded phenomenal growth.

 

The PM went on to explain that the plan is to establish a multipurpose factory at Andrews, St. Joseph. [Though it] has hit a slight snag with bringing it into reality, as a person living in that area has gone to court to challenge the factory being placed there. He said the Opposition Barbados Labour Party is also not in favour of the project being in St. Joseph, putting forward Bulkeley Factory in St. George as the alternative, but he said his Government still believes Andrews is the better location.

 

“Since that matter is sub judicata I wouldn’t want to say too much, or say anything that would be remotely interpreted as trying to influence any outcome. But the plan has been proceeding and once the court issues are resolved, I think we will be moving full steam ahead,” he said.

 

Explaining that annually Government has to look for as much as $75 million to pay the debts of Barbados Agricultural Management Company and support the field and factory operations of the sugar industry in its current state, he is adamant that financial commitment is unsustainable. With that in mind, he told the audience that the proposed multipurpose factory is required to not only produce speciality sugars, but to produce ethanol and the requisite amount of biomass to help in the generation of electricity which would help to improve the profitability of the industry.

 

Prime Minister Stuart’s comments came as he indicated that he and the Cabinet of Ministers he leads are satisfied about the potential advantages that could result from the project, inclusive of returning now idle lands once used for sugar, back into production for the feedstock. (JRT)