Cane-cutting on the way out
published: Monday | April 14, 2003
THE EDITOR, Sir:
I READ with interest the story about cane cutters being a dying "breed" (strange word to describe a human?) for the sugar industry. It is more than drudgery, who would want to do such back-breaking work in the hot sun, among the rats and insects that traverse the cane fields, willingly, much less by force?
I commend Ezekiel Moody who made sure that history was not repeated with his children and education provided their way out. The old method of processing sugar cane is obviously on its way out.... (finally). Those in the industry are holding steadfastly, trying to "milk a dead cow". Sugar went with slavery. In this 21st century those seriously involved in the sugar industry had better come up with some NEW ideas to keep it going, at least to meet domestic market needs. For I can tell you, the average Jamaican is ambitious and wants to be a star, cane-cutting is simply not an option, unless one really, really, really doesn't have a choice.
Don't hold your breath for this labour force, they want to do better things with their lives. So stakeholders had better get with the programme.
