THE former CEO of the Sugar Cane Growers Council, Jagannath Sami, was asked to take back comments he made about the Government during consultations on the Reform of the Sugar Cane Industry Bill in Lautoka yesterday.
While making his submission to the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Economic Affairs, Mr Sami said he had been saddened and deeply hurt by the arbitrary removal of institutions where growers previously had representation.
“I have seen the Bainimarama Government and FSC breaching the Sugar Industry Act by closing sections of tramlines, resulting in farmers stopping growing in these areas,” he said.
“I have seen the FSC abandoning the repair of the Sigatoka and Matutu tramline bridges, thus putting the Olosara and Cuvu farmers out of the industry.
“But what hurt me most was the unilateral decision of the Bainimarama Government and FSC to shut down the Penang mill without the lawful authority and without obtaining an order from the Sugar Industry Tribunal as required under the Sugar Industry Act and Master Award. In the past 10 years, the Bainimarama regime and FijiFirst Government has deliberately, consciously and unlawfully taken the clock back to the CSR era to enslave growers in perpetuity.
“No one seems to be listening to the growers’ plight.
“This committee also does not seem to be listening and acting.”
Parliamentary Standing Committee on Economic Affairs chairperson Lorna Eden interjected at this point and told Mr Sami that she did not agree with what he said.
“We disagree with what you are saying because Government is listening to the growers,” she said.
She added that changes and amendments to the Reform of the Sugar Cane Industry Bill were testament to the fact that Government was listening to what growers had to say.
Assistant Minister for Transport and standing committee co-chair Vijay Nath cautioned Mr Sami against digressing.
“Can you please go straight to the areas in your submission that deal directly with the Bill,” he said.
The committee has been travelling the country, especially to the canebelts, gathering submissions on the two Bills that aim to reform the sugar industry.
