Dear Editor,
While the technical and strategizing administrators continue to agonize on crafting workable solutions to the sustainability of the sugar industry, the mentors and strategists of the sugar union leadership are contriving to rub salt in the extant economic and financial wounds of the industry.
Without attempting to defend the criticism of discrimination construed as sectoral ‘industry’ unfairness, or to justify management’s reluctance to grant pay increases, it will be difficult to navigate a middle ground position bearing in mind management’s recent articulation to the sugar unions of the corporation’s financial circumstances.
As one who has been involved in sugar and diversification activities for decades in a technical and administrative capacity, as well as serving on the Industrial Relations Committee of BSE Ltd and latterly GuySuCo in the good times and the not so good times, I am simply offering my own perspective on the issue without by any means attempting to advise.
With negotiations in progress for the sale of closed estates at a critical stage, not only will the ongoing unstable industrial situation in the industry jeopardize a favourable outcome for the vendors, but it will continue to question the wisdom of potential investors’ interest in the industry. It is evident also that any alternative use of agricultural lands for non-sugar crops will entail use of both skilled and manual labour for its economic success. In any event I believe the disposal of sugar lands for non-agriculture engagements should be governed by stringent legal conditions.
Therefore the continued fostering of a healthy relationship with agricultural workers will be advantageous to all concerned, even with the advent of the oil and gas boom.
Yours faithfully,
Fritz McLean
