The High Court has ruled, the damages are due, and the promise of indemnity now hangs over Prime Minister Briceño’s government — but will they pay, or leave farmers holding the bag?

By: Omar Silva I Editor Publisher

National Perspective Bz | Digital 2025

www.nationalperspectivebz.com

 Belize City: Friday 1st August 2025

📰 HEADLINE Feature Article:

The question hangs in the humid northern air: Who will pay?

The Belize Sugar Cane Farmers Association (BSCFA) has been ordered to pay $520,674 in damages to ASR/BSI and another $43,456 to BELCOGEN — a total bill that will balloon past $1 million once interest and court costs are added.

But in 2021, when trucks were lined across Tower Hill and tensions threatened to erupt, Prime Minister John Briceño signed an indemnity letter, quietly assuring the farmers that his government would cover any fallout.

Now, the fallout is here — and so far, the government has gone silent.

A Cabinet in Awkward Silence

Minister Henry Charles Usher admitted yesterday that Cabinet hasn’t even discussed the indemnity.

That silence is deafening.

Why? Because paying the bill would mean cutting a seven‑figure cheque to a foreign multinational, while not paying it would mean abandoning cane farmers — the very people who anchor the PUP’s northern base.

A Chairman’s Uneasy Words

BSCFA chairman Alfredo Ortega voiced the unease felt across the cane belt:

“Of course, not happy with the judgment… it comes to show like if we should accept in any way, shape or form that we should be treated in a hostile way…”

Ortega acknowledged the association is not financially equipped to absorb the judgment:

“It’s not so easy… we’ve been battling from that time to now, especially in our financial situation…”

Translation: if the government walks away, BSCFA sinks.

A Prime Minister’s Trap

This is more than a legal judgment — it’s a political trap of the Prime Minister’s own making.

Back in 2021, Briceño bought peace in the cane belt with a signature on an indemnity. He smoothed over a crisis by whispering: “Don’t worry, we’ll cover you.”

But today:

• If he pays up, Belizean taxpayers will bankroll ASR/BSI’s courtroom win.
• If he backs out, he leaves cane farmers in ruin — and risks a political firestorm in his own backyard.

The cane belt is not just another region — it’s the foundation of Briceño’s political base. His seat, his Cabinet allies, his northern circle — all are tied to this soil.

Walking away would be a political betrayal his party might not recover from.

An Indemnity That Could Backfire

The 2021 indemnity letter was never tested in court, never debated in the House, never even widely known until now.

It was a backroom pledge to hold off a blockade — but that signature now threatens to boomerang on the government.

The PUP may try to dodge, delay, or quietly “renegotiate” the fallout. But every move they make will be watched — and the cane belt will not forget.

Final Word: The Bill Must Land Somewhere

The court has spoken. The bill is real. The numbers are climbing.

Who pays?

• The Government — honouring its word but draining public funds into ASR’s pocket.
• The Farmers — crushed under a bill they can’t possibly pay.
• Or the Taxpayers — once again footing the bill for weak leadership and foreign leverage.

One thing is certain: if Briceño thinks he can slip out the back door on this one, the cane belt will slam it shut behind him.