By Cedric Johnson, Gleaner WriterWESTMORELAND:
CANE FARMING interests in Westmoreland have adopted a multi-agency approach to dealing with the problem of the illicit burning of sugar cane, with its main element being a public education programme to be run in the areas most affected by the fires.
Joining in the campaign are the Frome sugar estate, the police, fire service, the Social Development Commission, farmers and contractors. They have been having meetings with residents in areas such as Baulk, Friendship, Burnt Savannah, Bath, Dangra, Galloway and Paul Island.
"It is difficult to understand what is happening at a time when we are fighting to get on a recovery path; 413 tonnes of sugar is already lost. In monetary terms we're talking about a $12 million loss to the industry," said Aston Smith, the operations manager at the Frome Sugar Factory.
ILLICIT FIRES
Mr. Smith disclosed that up to November 26, there were 30 illicit cane fires that destroyed 58 hectares, representing 4,129 tonnes of cane.
Contrary to popular belief, he said, the cane farms are not covered by insurance.
"This is not only a loss to the industry, it's a blow to the community which depends so much on sugar. Just imagine the amount of jobs that none could provide and the number of children it could assist in going to school," he said.
Only last week, Astill Sangster, the chairman of the West End Cane Farmers' Association, called on the authorities to put measures in place to prevent the illicit burning of cane, failing which, he said, the projected 56,000 tonnes of sugar for the 2003/04 crop, set to begin on December 7, will not be realised.
