Cane farming in the sugar industry – Premier Jagan’s legacy

Dec 30, 2021 Letters

Dear Editor,

Kaieteur News – Few of the current decision-makers, since the nationalisation of the sugar industry, would recall the passage of the following legislation:
a) National Cane Farming Committee Act (1965)
b) Cane Farmers Contract (General Conditions) Rules
c) Cane Farmers Special Funds Act.
It would be of interest to learn when last the documentation has been reviewed for its applicability to current relationships between cane farmers and the management of the industry.
In this connection not many would be aware that it was Booker Sugar Estates who deliberately created the first cane farmers community – at Belle Vue in the vicinity of Wales Estate, West Bank, Demerara in the 1950’s. Fifty-seven sugar workers and families were selected from across estates to establish a comprehensive housing scheme, with each house lot accommodating a kitchen garden. A community centre with playground was a feature of the settlement.
Each farmer was allocated a15-acre plot of cane land, and arrangements virtually imposed on Wales Estate to purchase the cane and pay for the sugar produced therefrom – all this nearly a decade ahead of the aforementioned legislation.
The latter in fact resulted from discussions between the Premier Cheddi Jagan and the Chairman of Bookers Group of Companies World-wide, Sir Jock Campbell, a proclaimed socialist.
The Premier, possibly utilising the Belle Vue model, suggested it being applied industry-wide. Empathetic as he was, Campbell pointed out its economic and other defaulting implications, particularly given the industry’s commitments to the United Kingdom market at the time. Already the idea of nationalisation had intermingled in the light and shade of their conversations. Campbell temporised by committing to establishing a more comprehensive cane farming development programme across the industry.
The commitment to Dr. Jagan translated into Booker Sugar Estates Limited and Demerara Company, together with the Barclays Bank and Royal Bank of Canada establishing a Cane Farming Development Fund of G$3.7M consistent with the prior legal provisions, which included the requirement for farming groups to become legal entities, so that they can draw down from the Fund and pay back, based on the legal contract which had been agreed between the parties, and in which the formula for the price of sugar produced by farmers was carefully applied.
All these activities and transactions were monitored by a legally established National Cane Farming Committee made up of membership of established Cane Farming Cooperatives and related Estate Managements.
Each estate was also required to appoint a Cane Farming Officer who trained farmers and advised on required agricultural practices to ensure optimum cane yields.
But more critical was all the preceding communication exercises needed to persuade individuals into a legal cooperative structure. Of course, in those days there was a thriving Government Cooperative Department whose District Officers cooperated fully.
The reason for this submission is to remind the parties concerned that there are still viable cane farming operations, in respect of which both suppliers and purchasers need urgently to review the fifty-seven years old legislation and related management arrangements-with a view to those contributors adding to the productivity of the industry as a whole. Fortunately, it is understood that a National Cane Farming Committee currently exists.

E. B. John
Human Resources Management Executive