The Commission of Inquiry into Belize’s sugar cane industry will begin public hearings on Tuesday with various stakeholders expected to make appearances during the five-day event.
The inaugural meeting of the Commission was held virtually in May.
Among those expected to appear are representatives of the Belize Sugar Industries Limited (BSI), the Belize Sugar Cane Farmers Association (BSCFA), Corozal Sugar Cane Farmers Association (CSCPA), Progressive Sugar Cane Farmers Association (PSCPA), Northern Sugar Cane Farmers Association (NSCFA), and the various arms of the Sugar Industry Control Board (SICB).
In a press release dated June 4, the BSI, while expressing support for the Commission’s role in advising on industry modernization, expressed concern in sharing proprietary information due to competitive pressures.
BSI stated it would not cooperate if the Commission’s focus shifts to negotiating a new commercial agreement, which they consider a private matter. BSI said it is open to discussing reforms to industry regulations and participating in efforts to improve mill efficiency and cane yields in northern Belize.
For its part, the BSCFA said it too welcomed the commencement of the Commission’s work, viewing it as long overdue since the last inquiry in 1969.
But the BSCFA emphasized the importance of this investigation for the sugar industry and urged the Commission to hold public meetings. The BSCFA expressed concern over BSI/ASR’s position on sharing sensitive information with the Commission.
The Commission will also hear presentations from Santander Sugar, Belize Electricity Limited (BEL) and the Public Utilities Commission (PUC).
“While the public will not be allowed to sit in the official venues, the hearings will be streamed live…and will be recorded. The press, including radio and TV stations, as well as newspapers and online media outlets, will be allowed to attend the full hearings or components of the hearings physically and to stream or record them as well,” according to a statement issued here.
The Commission of Inquiry into the sugar cane industry was made official on March 19 this year, when Prime Minister John Briceño signed the necessary statutory instrument.
The Commission is analyzing the whole value chain of the sugar cane industry and is expected to present recommendations on various components of the industry and submit its final report to the government by November 30, 2024.
The six-member Commission is chaired by Wayne Piper and includes Robert Mariette and Vinod Ramharai from Mauritius, Andrew Church from South Africa, and Simon Gibbons from the United Kingdom.
