FARMERS in the North had been given ample time to prepare themselves for the second round of the Sugar Reform Bill consultations.
Responding to claims from farmers in the North about the lack of awareness done on the consultations, Parliamentary Standing Committee on Economic Affairs chairwoman Lorna Eden said Northern farmers had asked for the second round of consultations, which began on Monday.
Ms Eden said they had given ample advertisements on the radio, television and newspapers regarding the consultations.
“Saying that we had given no green light on the consultation is lame because like any other Bill that goes through Parliament, we had given members of the public enough awareness of these consultations,” Ms Eden said.
“With the submissions that we received in Seaqaqa (on Monday), most of the issues raised were mostly frustrations by farmers on the mechanisms of the Fiji Sugar Corporation.
“No submissions were raised to directly address the Bill.”
Ms Eden said, therefore, they were of the view that farmers in Seaqaqa were satisfied with the Bill and had nothing to say against it.
Seaqaqa canefarmer Mohammed Shaim said not more than 10 farmers turned up at the consultation because all farmers were not aware of it.
Mr Shaim said farmers would have attended the consultation in numbers had they known about it.
