Drastic action if State fails to save 2003 cane crop

CHAIRMAN of the Trinidad Islandwide Cane Farmers Association (TICFA), Raffique Shah yesterday issued a stern warning to the government, that if efforts were not implemented to save this year’s failing sugar crop, “strong measures” would be taken by TICFA.

Shah, however, refused to tell Newsday exactly what these measures would be, saying “a good General never reveals his strategies.” During a telephone interview yesterday, Shah said the decision for the drastic measures was made during a closed-door meeting with canefarmers at the association’s Cocoyea Village headquarters on Thursday evening. He said farmers had “suffered” long enough with “tens of thousands of tonnes” rotting in fields and scale yards, while workers at all levels of the company, including Caroni’s managers, continue to be paid even as the impasse over Government’s VSEP package has forced operations at the State-owned company to grind to a halt. “The only income farmers get is when they actually sell their canes. For them, crop 2003 has turned out to be their worst nightmare,” Shah said. “Farmers have agreed that unless the situation improves by next week, we will take strong actions to shut down the 2003 crop.”

Shah, however, declined to reveal the association’s plans saying “strategy” in times of crisis is never revealed. He also confirmed that the association was holding discussions with a private group of investors who were proposing to acquire the Brechin Castle factory. “Talks are yet to be fleshed out, but continuing operations at Brechin Castle would have to concentrate on all aspects of cane as opposed to sugar,” he said. He said bagasse, a by-product of cane, could be used for a variety of purposes, while the cane tops are a “very good” source of feed for livestock. Efforts to reach Agriculture Minister John Rahael for comment yesterday were futile, since he was attending Cabinet.