HomeAgricultureGovernment Doesn’t Anticipate BSI will Bill Them for 560k Lawsuit

Government Doesn’t Anticipate BSI will Bill Them for 560k Lawsuit

Government Doesn’t Anticipate BSI will Bill Them for 560k Lawsuit

Back in late July, the Supreme Court handed down a major decision, one that left the Belize Sugar Cane Farmers Association facing a hefty bill. More than half a million dollars in damages were awarded to Belize Sugar Industries, all because of a three-day blockade that happened way back in December 2021. Naturally, we asked: how would the BSCFA come up with that kind of money? That’s when things got interesting. The association revealed that when the blockade happened, the government had actually signed an agreement promising to cover the cost if things didn’t go in the farmers’ favor. So today, we checked in with Agriculture Minister Jose Abelardo Mai to find out where things stand. According to him, the government doesn’t expect ASR to push for payment, at least not right now.

 

Jose Abelardo Mai

              Jose Abelardo Mai

Jose Abelardo Mai, Minister of Agriculture

“I think the Prime Minister gave an interview that, I saw an interview where he says, I think that he’s in, he’s in close communication with ASR/BSI and I think he mentioned that BSI has no intention to collect that money from government. I don’t know how that works, to be honest. That’s a legal matter. I don’t know how that works, but that’d be wonderful. I mean, it makes sense. I mean, you can’t, you can’t seek to collect from government hundred tons and on one hand, on the next hand, ask the government for a concession. It makes no sense. Right? It’s just a paradox, you know? And so I don’t think, this is not the time for these kinds  of problems to be dealing with. I think this is the time for us to sit down well and take charter way forward. How do you work together.  Right? I’m sorry, the court ruling  just came at the wrong time. It’s just a wrong time. So I think that cooler heads of to prevail and for to move forward.”

 

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