.... What's at Stake for Cane Farmers?

By Omar Silva, NP Staff Writer

Belize City, Tuesday 8th August 2023

In a groundbreaking verdict, the Belize Sugar Industries Limited (BSI) has secured a significant victory by challenging aspects of the outdated Sugar Industry Act. This Act, governing large-scale sugar production in northern Belize, has been deemed unconstitutional in certain sections after a formal objection brought before the High Court. BSI, along with Russel Navarro, filed a claim seeking the nullification of provisions they viewed as discriminatory and violative of their constitutional rights. These provisions pertained to private contractual interests, equal protection, work rights, and free association.

Senior Counsel Godfrey Smith, representing the claimants, elucidated the verdict's implications for the BSI-ASR sugar industry and cane farmers. He highlighted that while BSI's challenge did not succeed on all fronts, it did prevail on a critical issue: the imposition of an annual levy by the Sugar Industry Control Board (SICB) on BSI. This levy, accounting for around fifty percent of BSI's expenses (approximately a million dollars annually), was ruled unconstitutional. Smith emphasized that both BSI and the cane farmers' association are private entities, with their earnings going directly to individuals rather than broader public funds. This context underscores the unique intervention of the government in regulating these private entities to an extreme extent.

The most noteworthy outcome of this case is the court's determination that the revenue stream from BSI to SICB is unconstitutional and, by extension, illegal. This verdict has the potential to trigger a ripple effect, possibly requiring the reimbursement of funds collected under this provision. Moreover, the court declared certain aspects of the Sugar Industry Act as unconstitutional, including the requirement for cane farmers to be members of associations in order to deliver sugarcane to the mill. This ruling has long-lasting implications for the sugar industry's regulatory framework.

BSI's response to the ruling indicated their intent to consider the judgment's impact on their operations and industry stakeholders. They stressed the necessity of regulatory measures that promote positive reform and modernization within the sugar industry for the collective benefit of all involved parties.

The verdict also has political and wider industry implications. Michael Peyrefitte, Chairman of the United Democratic Party, weighed in on the ruling, highlighting the court's stance that mandatory association membership for sugar sales is unconstitutional. He drew parallels to other professions, where mandatory association membership has been reconsidered. Peyrefitte acknowledged that opinions on the ruling may differ, but he emphasized the importance of respecting the court's decision until any potential reversal through appeal.

This pivotal High Court ruling has unveiled the pressing need for modernizing the Sugar Industry Act to align with the dynamics of Belize's evolving sugar industry. As the industry's future course is charted, cane farmers, their associations, and the wider Belizean public must now navigate a landscape reshaped by this landmark judgment.