Cane farmers vex over delay in $45M payment

CANE FARMERS may not be able to send their children out to school at the start of the new term in two weeks time, since they are yet to receive final payment amounting to $45 million for sugarcane supplied during the 2004 season. Officials at the Trinidad Islandwide Canefarmers Association (TICFA) said the Sugar Manufacturing Company (SMCL) gave the assurance that the money would be paid by Monday, and all fertilisers would be distributed to farmers at the end of the month.

However, the SMCL placed a notice in a daily newspaper on Monday, stating 70 percent of the money would be paid on August 27 and the remainder would be paid as soon as deductions for fertilisers, chemicals and other incidentals were finalised. The TIFCA executive is now calling on the Ministry of Agriculture and the Ministry of Finance to launch a thorough investigation into the delay of payments.