THERE have been mixed reactions recorded across the sugarcane sector to Government’s reform of the Sugar Cane Industry Bill.
Organisations representing sugarcane growers — the National Farmers Union and Rarawai Penang Cane Producers Association — have raised concerns about the manner in which the Bill was constructed while the National Federation Party said it was important farmers understood how the Bill would affect them.
Attorney-General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum unveiled details of the Bill in Parliament on Thursday.
Government says the objectives of the Bill are to establish the Sugar Industry Tribunal, the Sugar Cane Growers Council and Mill Area Committees.
The Bill aims to promote the efficiency and development of the Industry by streamlining the Industry’s operational processes and to co-ordinate the activities of all sections of the industry and promote goodwill and harmony between such sections.
The document also aims to prescribe standard provisions governing the mutual rights and obligations of the Fiji Sugar Corporation and the registered growers and to provide for the keeping of an official Register of Growers.
The Bill says provisions will be established with the view to preventing and settling all disputes within the industry by amicable agreement.
The Bill also outlined plans to convert all current Government loans to the FSC and the related accrued interests into equity and for the Government to acquire all remaining shares of the corporation.
In terms of streamlining and reducing bureaucracy, Government has proposed moving the Sugar Industry Tribunal to the Sugar Ministry.
Under the proposal, the positions of Registrar of Tribunal and Industrial Commissioner will be dis-established.
Government is also proposing that the Sugar Research Institute of Fiji (SRIF) come under the umbrella of the FSC with all assets, interests, rights, privileges, liabilities and obligations of SRIF to be transferred to and vested with the Corporation.
The Bill will also establish provisions in the Sugar Cane Growers Council for the industry to be able to levy farmers for any capital works project or any special purpose.
Deductions for the levy will be made from growers proceeds by the FSC under the new Bill.
The reform document also proposes that all loans to South Pacific Fertilisers be converted to shares to be held by the Government.
