THE Sugar Cane Growers Fund (SCGF) has proposed some changes to the Sugar Industry (Amendment) Bill 2024.
While presenting its submission to the Standing Committee on Justice, Law and Human Rights on the Sugar Industry (Amendment) Bill last week, SCGF also welcomed the decision to conduct growers’ council elections.
“I would like to emphasise that as one of the sister industries, we welcome this decision to have the elections, to have the voice of the farmers, we support that,” SCGF boss Raj Sharma said.
“That gives us also the opportunity to have a scrutiny of all the industry players. There are certain things within the provisions that we wish to highlight and bring to the members.”
He said directors in the Act should be referred as board members.
“When we look at the previous Act, it gives a term as the director. Directors are normally referred to, in terms of the Companies Act 2015, as the directors.
“We were proposing, whether it can be the board members rather than the directors.”
He highlighted that non-productive sugarcane growers were listed in the Sugar Tribunal as registered growers.
“We would have a big list of over 16,000 farmers. They are registered with the Sugar Industry Tribunal (SID). But the productive growers of last year have been about 10,200.
“Whether we want to take the voice of the people who are not performing in the industry, this is something for the committee and the members to take.”
Mr Sharma said growers who intended to contest the Growers Council election should have a clean record.
“It’s something that we look at in terms of the fit and proper people, meaning whether they got a clean record; no criminal records.
“The second one is, they do not have any bankruptcy issues.”
He said some board members had also defaulted on their loan agreement.
“We have seen, there have been board members on other institutions, who had defaulted on loans with us at Sugarcane Growers Fund too.
“So, in terms of good governance, I think these are critical things to look at, fit and proper people who are appointed.”
Mr Sharma said in the case of the power of attorney, that needed to be valid as well.
“The power of attorney is given in three, or four categories.
“One, you just represent me in that harvesting gang, sign the memorandum of agreement.
“Second could be, you can do that, and also order rice and fertiliser and incur normal expenses.
“The third could be, that you are given powers to borrow, come to us, go to FDB, and so forth.
“Fourth could be, you can do anything and everything, even sell the farm.
“So, we just have to see the power of attorney of this person.
“I think these are critical stuff for us to consider.”
