By Richard Morais,
Freelance Writer
FALMOUTH, Trelawny:
THE LONG Pond Sugar Factory in Trelawny is processing cane non-stop in a bid to make up for time lost from the late start of this year's sugar crop.
General manager of the factory, Levi McGreggor, told The Gleaner that two boilers are being used on a 24-hour basis to maximise production.
Seeking to allay the fears of the farmers that some of their canes will be left in the field because of the late start, Mr. McGreggor said the factory was committed to accepting all the canes coming from farmers, even if it is means extending the crop.
The sugar crop, which usually starts in January was delayed for three months, starting only last week Sunday, owing to the flood rains which affected the factory in early January, the lateness in acquiring funding to do repairs and the closure of the only company in the island to do these repairs, McGreggor said.
The factory manager has been criticised for the late start to the crop.
Chairman of the Long Pond Vale Royal Cane Farmers Association, Delroy Anderson, in an interview with The Gleaner, refused to accept the reasons proffered by McGreggor.
Mr. Anderson said Govern-ment had announced some time ago that funds were being allotted to assist with repairs, and that the factory was tardy in accessing the assistance.
In relation to the flooding, the association chairman said only a section of the factory had been under water, and only for three weeks. He said it was almost ridiculous for the factory to be blaming January rains for the late crop start in April.
Meanwhile, the factory has overcome an explosion in the boiler room which rocked it early Wednesday. No one was hurt in the blast and the factory was up and running within hours.
The factory's stepped-up activity, meantime, is affecting residents in nearby communities who have been complaining of an inordinately huge amount of smoke coming from the factory's chimneys.
Mr. McGreggor admitted to a greater than normal smoke emission which he attributed to the factory having just started milling. He said that within days the problem should go away, and appealed for tolerance in the interim.
