PORTMORE, St. Catherine:
MANAGERS OF the Bernard Lodge Sugar Factory has decided to take steps to address the soot affecting residents living in Greater Portmore which they say is caused through the burning of cane on the estate.
Speaking with the Portmore Journal, Acting Operations Manager, Lee Roy Johnson said that the factory will cease the burning of cane in the area that is near to the community and instead use a chopper harvester to reap the cane.
This decision follows a peaceful protest at the factory last month by members from the Greater Portmore Joint Council. According to Mr. Johnson this will cost the company loss in productivity in the region of some $6 million to put in a competent harvester to reap the cane.
Addressing the concerns raised by the residents that the soot was causing respiratory problems and damage to furniture, Mr. Johnson agreeing that the soot is a nuisance, said they could not accept the problem of respiratory illnesses and damage to furniture".
Residents also complained that they have been having this problem since the community was built some nine to ten years ago. But is the factory to be blamed? Responding to this Mr. Johnson said "the burning of cane is part of the reaping process for cane and Bernard Lodge Factory has been in this area since 1919". He further added that the problem of the soot has also been there since that time and that there were not reports from persons living on the estate of developing respiratory problems. He further suggested that the problem is as a result of the developers of these houses who he said lack the foresight of the problem by constructing these houses on prime agricultural lands.
Despite this, he said, "we will make every effort to reap the cane green in that area. There has to be give and take in life and we are not unmindful of peoples' tenure".
A recent report done by the Sugar Industry Authority (SIA) on request of the Natural Resource Authority Conser-vation (NRCA) against the pros and cons of burning sugar cane showed that if the cane was reaped green this would have devastating repercussions. The report noted that without burning, manual cutting rates would be more costly (an increase of 10-15 per cent), output per individual cutter would be reduced, time taken to harvest would increase and the displacement of jobs of cane cutters. On the other hand reaping the cane green would improve weed control, mousier in the soil, soil conservation, and nutrient status. However, environmentally there would be increased hectares covered by dry, highly incendiary trash and devastating bush fires and greater air pollution.
