portvale sugar factory
Isn’t it disappointing and a poor reflection on the leadership in Barbados we have to endure the perennial blame game concerning the state and future of the sugar industry in Barbados? At last month’s Barbados Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI) Prime Minister Stuart placed the blame squarely on the back of the private sector for the decline. Even if we accept Stuart’s position we have to ask him, who will lead? It is approaching mid-February and there has been no mobilization of the crop season to reap what is estimated to be 9,000 tonnes of sugar, the lowest in our history.
The average Barbadian is divided about whether sugar is uneconomic. Sadly the majority of positions taken are from uninformed position. Uninformed positions extend to social commentators (talk show hosts) who can be heard daily with positions like, let us follow the St. Kitts model. When the hell has Barbados been known for following lesser developed countries? Is this the sum of billions of investment in education?
Back to sugar!
Agriculturist Peter Webster in today’s press challenged Prime Minister Stuart’s perspective that the decline of the sugar industry was due to private sector mismanagement. Webster opines in his exposition it was the Sugar Industry Act of 1971 that bears prime responsibility for the decline of an industry. AND that through it’s entire history was subject to booms and busts. Another interesting point (among many) made by him is that Government through its public sector agency “BAMC achieves yields 20% lower than their private sector counterparts and their cost of production is 100% higher“.
There is a simple point to be made. All sides need to sit around a table and make informed decisions about the pathway the sugar industry must take to add optimum value to the Barbados economy. The procrastinating, chicanery, vacillating and idiocy needs to stop!
i pass! double deuce
but then again it is a bitter pill that nobody wants to sallow with plenty tentacles pulling from all sides i fell both sides pain long an short the facts in this case will upsurge as well as rebuild,
On day an expert sugar industry guest was on Brass Tacks and bragging about the industry’s achievement of being able to produce 30/35 tons of sugar cane to the acres.
Shortly afterwards,Julien Hunte , intervened and stated that is grandfather was able to get some 60 tons to the acre, many years ago. But Julien was politely brush aside as a non qualified person with a tall tale. This is one of the main reasons that has cause the sugar industry to go into decline. The newly degreed agronomists and managers , believed that they know it all,and are reluctant to listen to the very people who have maintained the sugar industry all of these years. I\
I recall at one time a St Joseph plantation , with a variety of a hard red, but sweet cane, producing some 80/90 tons to the acre.
The average yield of cane stalk is 60–70 tonnes per hectare per year. However, this figure can vary between 30 and 180 tonnes per hectare depending on knowledge and crop management approach used in sugarcane cultivation.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sugarcane
@Hants
We in Barbados had the advantage over all other cane producers worldwide. And ,Groves Cane Breeding Station must be credited for that.
Today we read that the Barbados Fire Service is reporting fewer grass fires than the same pre-harvest period last year. But how does the Fire Service distinguish between grass fires and some cane fires, as these days we produce a strain of grass, complete with arrows, that is much taller than some of our aging canes.
@ Colonel Buggy,
It seems that the Sugar Industry was mis managed for a very long time.
Barbados was good at producing raw sugar, rum and molasses for export.
However when challenges occurred ( low prices on the world market etc ) nothing meaningful was done to restructure the Industry.
It is a very complex industry and somebody dropped the ball. Imagine “Barbados rum” made with molasses from other countries when we should be making Product of BARBADOS BRANDED sugar and rum and other products.
@Hants
The BU household remembers a time not so long ago Barbados had a world reputation breeding all types of canes. People came from all over the world to observe how we did it and to learn. We allowed ourselves to meander without repositiong the industry that is all.
A quote by the PM at the BCCI luncheon.
When will the farmers be paid Prime Minister?
“Today there is just one sugar factory”
So what would happen if there was a major problem at this lone sugar factory during the crop season?
Tie the canes to make barges and float them to Guyana?
@ Hants
Did you read the submission made by Peter Webster? He makes the point that the industry existed with periods of low to no profit but on average every 8 years there would be a shortfall on the world market resulting in windfall profits that would then be reinvested by the industry. After 1971 and the Sugar Industry Act any windfall profits were taken by government even before the industry got them. So how exactly were the supposed to reinvest and restructure?
@ Nostradamus,
The bottom line is that the Sugar cane industry has ended up in its current state because of mis management, lack of vision and the inability to deal with the changes in the industry.
Maybe the challenge was beyond the ability of those responsible.
How dare he critique the PM, surely he is afraid of being called ‘sanctimonious and hypocritical’.
Or not!
Could not believe it.
“Now that has nothing to do with the government, it has everything to do with how the industry has been managed over the years; said the Prime Minister.”
Aren’t those words the ramblings of an idiot?
Shouldn’t someone have asked this naked Emperor for a PM how much of the industry is controlled by agencies owned by the same Government?
If the management of industry is not the responsibility of the government why then did his DLP administration promised to the do the following:
In its 2008 manifesto the current Administration promised the following:
“When the DLP demitted office it left behind a carefully crafted and financed programme for the rationalization of the sugar industry. Its primary target was to increase sugar output from the current level of around 50,000 tonnes up to 75,000 tonnes. This target was based on the availability of the European Union preferential market and domestic demand. It envisaged bringing land back into sugar production through price support and other incentives for farmers. Sadly, this programme was abandoned and the now trumpeted BLP alternative to rescue the industry involves a mishmash of elements – energy and ethanol production from “fuel cane”, coupled with 30,000 tonnes of raw sugar at an investment cost of $400 million.
Clearly, a DLP administration must revisit the current plans for the sugar sector, and determine their viability in the light of the continuing loss of sugar lands, the high costs of production in Barbados, and the need to obtain firm commitments from farmers to participate in any project for a sugar cane industry that may materialize. The Democratic Labour Party is convinced that sugar cane production is essential to environmental and ecological sustainability in Barbados, and will apply its best efforts to ensure that the maximum benefit is derived from the production of all the products and byproducts of the sugar cane plant.”
The same promise was regurgitated in the 2013 manifesto as encapsulated in the following:
The DLP administration will:
“Implement the Cane Industry Restructuring Project (CIRP) to bring the sugar cane industry to at least a commercial break-even position; Initiate an agreement with private owners of sugar cane lands to facilitate consolidation of farms and effect better management, the use of more technology and the increase in sugar cane yields…”
Now tell us Mr. PM who are the sanctimonious hypocrites? Seven long years and the industry is still in ICU? Why not stop with the feeding of lies and deceit to the dying patient and either allow another team of doctors to take over or damn well pull the plug from the life support equipment.
Hants February 8, 2015 at 7:30 PM #
The bottom line is that the Sugar cane industry has ended up in its current state because of mis management, lack of vision and the inability to deal with the changes in the industry.
Maybe the challenge was beyond the ability of those responsible.
Yes you are correct. But Webster’s point is that it was not mismanagement by the private sector as claimed by Stuart but government mismanagement/policies and lack of vision, killing the goose that laid the golden egg.
Here we go again with porous arguments. The sugar industry is not a profitable enterprise and is served by a large cadre of unskilled workers. Name a developed country where unskilled workers are not paid commensurate with skills. Many of these JA politicians ask them how much they pay the maid or helper.A classic case of killing the goose that lays the egg.
@Nostradamus,
my comments are based on my belief that the branding “PRODUCT OF BARBADOS” or “PURE BARBADOS” has real value and all sugar cane related products produced in Barbados should be so branded.
Instead we import molasses to make rum and we sell bulk sugar.
Then there is the issue of crop rotation and linkages between sugar can and food crops like sweet potatoes, yams, eddoes, green peas etc.
http://www.asr-group.com/about-us/our-world/index.html
Hants February 8, 2015 at 6:49 PM #
“Today there is just one sugar factory”
So what would happen if there was a major problem at this lone sugar factory during the crop season?
Tie the canes to make barges and float them to Guyana?
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Given the amount of mature canes which I’ve seen around the island, if Port Vale Factory were to breakdown, we could enlist the assistance of the recently recommissioned Nicholas Abbey Sugar Mill or carry the canes a bit farther downhill by Lowdown, to Morgan Lewis Wind Mill.
David February 8, 2015 at 6:34 PM #
When will the farmers be paid Prime Minister?
He told Clarke that as he already knew ,all the documentation has been prepared in order that the farmers could get their money from ANSA Merchant Bank and this is no longer an issue as the money is available
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By now you should have realised that the Prime Minister is a past master at covering his arse, making promises and speeches he knows aint worth sod all.
………The Alexander affair
_—— The NCC / Tribunal affair
…. … Observing people buying votes in the last election
……….The Eager 11
……….And the host of campaign promises he never kept.
Hants February 8, 2015 at 6:10 PM #
@ Colonel Buggy,
It is a very complex industry and somebody dropped the ball. Imagine “Barbados rum” made with molasses from other countries when we should be making Product of BARBADOS BRANDED sugar and rum and other products.
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Perhaps we should revert to a joint venture with Guyana ,in some respects of rum production. Back in the early to mid 70’s one of the Caribbean’s rum products which was gaining wide popularity , in the UK and Continental Europe, was “DRY CANE”, even giving the famous Bicardi some competition. This rum was labeled , PRODUCT OF GUYANA AND BARBADOS .
@Colonel Buggy
You called for functional cooperation between Caribbean countries? You have got to be joking.
On Sunday, 8 February 2015, Barbados Underground wrote:
>
sorry to disagree Colonel.
Barbados has a strong enough history of producing quality rum and should be producing 100% BARBADOS branded rum.
There is power in marketing a product that is 100% from the country of origin especially when you are a small producer.
@ Hants
Please note I said “in some respects of rum production”. meaning certain brands.
You called for functional cooperation between Caribbean countries? You have got to be joking.
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And why not? Around that same period, when this joint Barbados/Guyana rum was being marketed , the noted Guyanese Lawyer Dr Lionel Luckhoo, served as the joint High Commissioner in London for Guyana and Barbados.
While Webster’s contribution makes good reading; it should be obvious that he believes that the workers should have remained with low wages and the windfall should have gone to the owners! His piece is essentially anti-worker. He should also state that in the so-called glory days of sugar, the labour was extremely cheap. The private sector including Barbados Shipping and Trading allowed the industry to go to shambles. The improvements Webster speaks of could not alone have saved the industry. This piece is a very dangerous piece of propaganda intended to nullify the fact that both the BLP and DLP have propped up the sugar industry because the owners failed to even modernise factories or keep plantations in production.
Would this apologist Webster please indicate how many times since 1971 has he written to Prime Ministers Adams , Barrow , St. John, Arthur , Thompson and Stuart to address this issue?
Can he explain what is the arrangement that sees government leasing these estates from these superior private sector managers and why these owners agreed?
Just asking?
It is these intellectually and politically backward, bankrupt and discredited DLP and BLP political disorganizations – especially when at the helm of government of Barbados – that have been primarily responsible for the long term gradual general decline in the performances of the sugar industry in this country.
Using the fiscal, monetary and financial policies of these very undisciplined and corrupt disorganizations as a partial basis for making this argument, one has only to at what Mr. Peter Webster refers to – in the said Sunday Sun article – as the enforcement of the particular provisions of the Sugar Industry Act 1971 – wherefore, in our refusing to gloss over the facts – we dare say that these thieving robbing DLP and BLP governments have – over the years – been stealing significant portions of the remunerations of these owners of these estates, to the substantial detriment of the long term remuneration capacities of these and other relevant stakeholders in the country. and the relevant others.
No doubt there have been many other evil wicked TAXATION orders that have been criminally imposed by such governments on the remunerations of these people.
Indeed, before Barbados actually becomes a virtual failed state – both these atrocious jack o lantern factions must be ABSOLUTELY PERMANENTLY removed by the broad masses and middle classes of people of Barbados from the political and parliamentary landscape of this country as soon as possible.
PDC
The govt is on the case, they are encouraging farmers to grow saccharin
@ David
Like most other issues bout here, this sugar business has been jointly mismanaged by BOTH government AND the industry miss-managers.
The whole thing is a lotta shiite…..and what is most amazing is that we appear not to have noticed earlier…
Of course what is needed to turn the situation around would have been strong decisive leadership at some level to take things forward. Preferably this should come from a well reasoned and broadly discussed consensus, but instead, we have Estwick running around talking shiite about Japanese loans, Chinese loans, Middle east loans …..as if we have not dumped enough money into Maxwell’s pond already…
The Prime Minister is clearly an idiot….
shiite man, even when he is saying things that make sense he has this way of pissing people off….plus he sounds like some damn old woman….
What the hell does he expect to gain by alienating large sectors of the community with stupid comments….
Bajans SHOULD contribute to the cost of tertiary education, but there is no need to make the matter so divisive.
..and where he SHOULD keep his damn mouth shut …as with Leroy Parris and the thiefing Speaker, he comes out supporting thieves….
The Plantation and Factory managers are also a bunch of retards who have over the years been giving big jobs to their incompetent family and friends and running the industry into the ground. They have NOT developed the workers, NOT invested in technological development and NOT been innovative.
Sugar is a natural, high value product for Barbados, but just like Sea Island Cotton and Black Belly Sheep, has been constrained by the pack of brass bowl idiots that have been produced by our eddy kashun system….and by some that did not even complete that phase…
@Bush Tea February 9, 2015 at 7:26 AM #
You too love to mix sense and shiite in your submissions.
Facts speak for themselves…….succesive Govts. have starved the goose that laid the golden eggs
Do you realise that misfits do not only belong to the cane fraternity but can be found in all walks of life,hence the abundance of BBs…….another flaw of the BBE.
To place Peter Webster and his ilk’s rubbish into perspective and bring integrity to the analysis we have to take this discourse back to the seventeenth century and black slavery that’s when the sugar industry began. You cant draw conclusions of the sugar cane industry in 2015 unless you start at the birth of the sugar cane industry under the regime of free labour by hordes of enslaved Africans. The massive non taxable profits for the slave masters and their descendants must be taken into consideration. What percentage of those profits were ploughed back into the industry for continuous development. .The first salvo in the discourse should be repayment reparation from Peter Webster and his ilk’s estate to Froon and the rest of us who look like Froon for the non payment of wages for 400 years. That is what is called a holistic discussion . You cant start talking about the cause and effect and apportioning blame for the sugar cane industry’s modern woes based on when the DLP came to office in 2008. Even you Davd and other yardfowls a la miller and prodigal could appreciate that moral and scholastic imperative.
……@ two cents
The massive non taxable profits for the slave masters and their descendants must be taken into consideration. What percentage of those profits were ploughed back into the industry for continuous development. .The first salvo in the discourse should be repayment reparation from Peter Webster and his ilk’s estate to Froon and the rest of us who look like Froon for the non payment of wages for 400 years
Man you talkin bare shiite..Did Govt ever have money to support a sugar industry…what reparation nonsense you on about?
@ two cents
We agree with you, totally.
Like most things in Barbados, one is allowed to attack only governments and not the public sector ! Webster , as you correctly stated, cannot be serious when he suggests that the private sector managed the sugar industry so brilliantly, when in natural fact labour and social conditions were in their favor. We guess he would find a similar argument for the private sector’s glaring failure to manage the tourist industry effectively after 60 years. He would then blame wages and the BLP/DLP and hail the private sector, for its predicament. We warn Barbadians to be on guard against this new brand of dangerous, sophisticated propaganda designed primarily, to show that only “certain’ people have management skills.
@my two cents aka waiting
A holistic discussion is relevant to lack of leadership by government and private sector how?
Who runs BAMDC and the other government agencies?
Strategic and tactical decisions in the sector by stakeholders, both public and private, has to do with bing strategic and pragmatic.
This is how you run a business.
On Monday, 9 February 2015, Barbados Underground wrote:
>
David
An excellent point made on Brasstacks just now to effect that this area involving serious costs including finders fees which can be detrimental to the future of the country is not being addressed by more individuals.
What is even more interesting that for such a well known regional persona to make this statement and 24 hours have gone with out a rebuttalf from the Govt. ……….Chuckle…….we realy gone this time…….bring the bannanas
The GOB is between the horns of dilemma. If they do nothing they will be accused of abandoning the farmers and the industry, if they do something like restructure the industry, they will be accused of wasting tax payers money on a white elephant.
The issue here is that certain ‘private sector’ interest, backed by Trinidad, want to assume responsibility of the industry, they want the GOB to turn over to them the industry and the assets (farms, lands and factories) so that they can ‘manage’ them effectively.
“We loyal sons and daughters all
Do hereby make it known
These fields and hills beyond recall
Are now our very own
We write our names on history’s page
With expectations great
Strict guardians of our heritage
Firm craftsmen of our fate”
Vincent
Who said what on brass tacks?
Hahahaha…….play the T&T card when convenient……..they already own Bim,so what is the problem with handing over the Sugar industry…….they are doing a far better job than we did with all the entities they bought.
Grace Fuller February 9, 2015 at 1:12 PM #
Vincent
Who said what on brass tacks?
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Could have been you,as they like you and unlike me did not give a name
@Vincent
Everything in Barbados has become very political. Sad really.
Vincent
You obviously are unaware of the extent to which the interest(s) in Trinidad dictate and manipulate things in Barbados. A prime example is natural gas issue, do you know what the current shortage of natural gas is all about and what objectives are expected to be achieved by the ‘shortage’ and the consequent public outrage?
Have you ever wondered in who’s interest it is in to keep Barbados energy dependent? Why didn’t Barbados pursue the offshore oil and gas industry, an emerging sector that the GOB spent millions of dollars to establish including on the way to the United Nation to secure?
Why, because they are interest in Trinidad who will not let Barbados become energy independent they same way it is not in their interest to see Barbados move towards food security much less food independence.
Sagicor is predominantly Trinidad owned and you see what loyalty that bought Barbados when the downgrades came? At the first sing of troubled waters, notwithstanding the hundreds of millions they made off of Barbados/Barbadians, they moved to protect themselves and their shareholders.
We have had Darcy Boyce as the person responsible for Energy in Barbados since 2008, albeit as a junior Minister in the PM’s office, how you never wondered why offshore oil and gas has not moved forward? Similarly the natural gas pipeline from Trinidad, ask Dr. Estwick he has learned the hard lesson of regional and economic politics.
@Grace Fuller
Ministry Donville Inniss has no problem with the Trinis investing in Barbados. Is his a solo voice or reflecting government’s position.
David
Are you opposed to Trinidadians investing Barbados, if you are……..please can you allude to the reasons why?
Mahogany Coconut Group February 9, 2015 at 9:59 AM #
. We warn Barbadians to be on guard against this new brand of dangerous, sophisticated propaganda designed primarily, to show that only “certain’ people have management skills.
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You can warn as much as you like , it will not change the mantra of the majority of Bajans ? David Seale is on record as saying that only those with ‘this’,-pointing to his skin- , are able to manage in Barbados. And we have bestowed him with a Knighthood, and,individually , has subsequently added Millions of dollars in support to his Booze, Beer and Bulksale Empire.
Andrews Sugar Factory, for most of its life when it was owned by the Challenors, was for all intents and purposes managed by a local boy, Robert Crichlowe, although there was a traditional manager at the head, whose role was more like the Governor-General of today… Dress sharply, look around for a few minutes everyday , then retired. Over at Castle Grant Leroy Walker , another local boy, managed that large plantation quite successfully . And there are others , who have made sterling contributions to the management of the sugar industry, before the government nationalise it.
ONLY ONE QUESTION THAT NEEDS TO BE ANSWERED ——————–
Does the sugar industry make $$$$-MONEY.
If the answer is Yes then there’s no problem,
If the answer is NO then shut it down, fire all staff receiving government funds and private staff and owners will look after the rest.
Barbados has to realize that SOCIALISM COSTS BIG $$$$$ and if there is no money then SOCIALISM IS DEAD.
as the French say FINI.
@Fuller
Investment has to be directed. Trinidadians have our food, financial, real estate locked in. At which point do we identify how we want investment dollars to be mobilised in our little island?
Wily
I agree, how quickly can we shut down:-
UWI Cave Hill
QEH Hospital & Ployclinics
Transport Board
NHC
Welfare Office
Other wasters of public funds
David
You know full well that the fight between the GOB and ‘farmers’ in Barbados is not about the restructured sugar cane industry but more about development of agricultural lands and access to agricultural lands for development. Powerful interest in Trinidad ably supported by local lobbyist are not prepared to have their lands bound to sugar cane cultivation when they can be chopped up, paved and sold for houses for bajans and foreigners interested in turning Barbados into a bedroom community for the monied class of the region.
Grace Fuller February 9, 2015 at 3:59 PM #
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What a load of Rubbish…….what were you and the T&T CLICO doing over the last 30 years with the 2000 acres of prime Ag. lands.Did you all not start to cut them up for housing like in Cherry Grove?
You want tp pick and choose the T&T entity to control Bim……what hypocrites……you all are a sad bunch and unfortunately for us destroying the country at the same time you play these games.
@Colonel Buggy February 9, 2015 at 3:15 PM #
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Pointless living in the past,ignorance is a fact of life that we have to deal with but we must not throw out the baby with the bathwater.
Govts of the past ignored advice by those gentlemen and others such as Roy Ward and this is where the problem lies,individuals covering the melanin spectrum have over the last 50 years offered solid advice that was ignored for political expediency.
Stupeesss……people just playing ignorant or just stupid….shut down D sugar industry? Next ting we hearing that the price of sugar gone thru D roof and we never able to get back”it” UP….But ya know what,that is just what some people really want for us…. Today it is only12,000 tons and Estwick lookin to build a $500 Mill spanking new balls n cock monstrousty. Why not stick wid Portvale and see this thru..what new factory what…all ya stupidy.
corr: get it back up
old onion bags February 9, 2015 at 4:25 PM #
End of the day, this discussion about who was right and wrong and manage or not the sugar industry is now irrelevant.
The sugar industry had its day, time to move on and wasting 500millio on a factory is just an excuse to enable certain people to get a good contract, commissions etc., and when finished it will have cost 50million with the requisite ‘overruns’…..
As certain people so ably demonstrated recently, backed up strongly by others, would your trust summa dem with a sno cone cart let alone carte blanche with your budget wallet?
Forget the factory, invest in other produce (not freaking buildings either), who don’t want to plant, can sell the land, not to be used for anything other than agriculture.
Cant even produce enough food and importing left, right , centre and want to plant for the sake of sentimental ‘old good days’….
Sugar is dead and besides, it is just a poison to our diabetic nation anyway.
Get used to it and top the rubbish. And a side benefit is that those who would ‘profit’ form the building of a useless plant would have to look elsewhere for their windfall.
errata ‘when finished it will have cost 750million with the requisite ‘overruns’…..
The sugar industry is dead…we continue to live in Wonderland and reminisce of an era where a totally different global economy existed. Good luck. The issue is how do we keep our RUM industry authentic and alive. Do we need a Bajan rum or a collaborative approach across Caricom in all areas of industry where we collectively and individually have specialisation/comparative advantage?
Look I ent nah big time James Paul…..but what I hearing from some tall boys that been in it for eons……dunning away wid D sweet grass is>>> ERROR….I hear Estwick say so too…Next ting…ya hit the nail on D head >>>>RUM….we rum taste special ya forget?
King Sugar is dead. In fact Barbados is dead.
Sugar maybe dead…..But what about cane and its by products,which are many besides sugar and molasses
Think outside the box,we touched on it about 40 years ago,resurrect the studies and lets go forward with healthy juices,hardboard,medicines,fertilisers,mulch,etc,etc…….would you believe that cane juice crystals exist in health stores around the world.
Guyana operates year round cane processing,we could pursue that with a view to feeding the grid
Go to Antigua.St.Kitts to name two and see what the landscape looks like in the absence of cane.
The Cane industry in Bim is more than sugar and diabetes(That linkage is incorrect by the way,too simplistic) …..
What Barbados RUM industry you all talking about ………
Largest producer “Mount Gay” is FRENCH OWNED AND OPERATED, most molasses used comes from Jamacia
Bagan Rum in name only ?
Vincent
Fear not my friend, the new multi-purpose factory are Andrews is be funded by was of a foreign direct investment from private sector. The government of Barbados is not responsible for the debt raised and equity invested by the private investor.
@Grace Fuller
What role will the BNB Capital company with Ince and the good Senator play in this or related projects?
What is BNB Capital? Is that Trinidadian company?
Will the existing Cane Harvesters be able to be converted to harvest the Wild Tamarind brush to power the new Super Factory? Or have we got to re-tool for this ?
Yesterday I saw an MTW Million- Dollar Caterpillar road construction grader, ‘weeding’ that side of the road on the St Davids back road. What a farce?
@David February 10, 2015 at 11:25 AM #
Grace Fuller February 10, 2015 at 11:33 AM #
What is BNB Capital? Is that Trinidadian company?
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Hahahahaha…………..That says it all,we now know the thinking.
@ Grace Fuller February 10, 2015 at 11:33 AM #
“What is BNB Capital? Is that Trinidadian company?”
So how come you seem to know everything going on behind the scenes as far as government projects are concerned and don’t know of the company- set up with the blessings of Stinkliar and fronted by Jepter Physical Deficit Ince and the ethics-less Trevor Carmichael- through which the finders fees and consultancy incomes associated with the phantom sugar cane factory will be channeled and siphoned off via a sophisticated tax avoidance money laundering machine called BNB Capital?
Are you really a Tuesday’ child, full of grace; or are you a Thursday child and have very ‘far’ to go as far this bogus sugar cane factory and restructuring of the industry is concerned?
@ Colonel Buggy February 10, 2015 at 2:06 PM
“Will the existing Cane Harvesters be able to be converted to harvest the Wild Tamarind brush to power the new Super Factory? Or have we got to re-tool for this?”
Guess you, Colonel, have not yet seen my patent recently taken out on the innovatively modified combined harvester called the “Bajan Lumbering Jack”?
This super machine is redesigned not only to harvest sugar cane during the crop season but all year round it will be reaping riving tamarind and de-bushing the country side simultaneously. When not in use during the day it can be rented out during the night to collect and transport the tonnes of garbage for burning to the Lowe-down WTE plant earmarked for St. Thomas.
The beauty about this machine is that it will be powered by solar panels during the day and an in-built wind turbine at night using the acrid fumes from the same WTE all on this little 2×3 environmentally fragile tourism dependent atoll in the fast-polluting Atlantic ocean.
Dr. Colin Hudson would have been ‘tickled-pink’ and proud of my Bajan cane-tamarind-garbage compacting spinning Jenny called Lumbering Jack Back to the Sleeping Giant Stuart cotton-picking-nigger fields.
@Vincent
You know we (BU) are able to sniff the BS at an early stage.
Man Millar
Doan mekk ma laugh do…..
These idiots got a prototype build already..
The Bajan Lumber Who?
But looka muh crosses, true.
Another faux pas in the making.
Foul up Bleeps and Blunders II….
Somebody come quick and rescue these knobbits
Before we mekk the international news.
Maybe we should give it a chance, after all, the wild tamarind could be grown on the millions of acres of land that lies fallow….
Hah.
It is severely crackpottish. Instead of producing sugar that sells about five dollars a large bag, Barbados needs to grow more fruits and vegetables and package same, a frozen foods plant etc makes more sense.
At least, it should stop us importing as much.
It is not only about what sugar can sell or, nor its by products (including yes, diabetes…huge cost that and it IS relevant), but the opportunity cost of the land that could be used for other crops INCLUDING real medicinal crops, (not just cane crystals…).
Get real, get down to basics, food.
But then, who would buy alla dem foods in Massy iffin you could get them at the local market?
Sugar my foot. Selling fuh five dollars a large bag. And Guvment want to spend 500 dollars of taxpayer money pun it. If it was not coming out of taxpayer pocket, why in heck did the Parliament have to approve??]
We born yestuhday?
”And Guvment want to spend 500 million dollars of taxpayer money pun it.”
millertheanunnaki February 10, 2015 at 2:56 PM #
Dr. Colin Hudson would have been ‘tickled-pink’ and proud of my Bajan cane-tamarind-garbage compacting spinning Jenny called Lumbering Jack Back to the Sleeping Giant Stuart cotton-picking-nigger fields.
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And being a government owned and neglected piece of machinery, when it breaks down, we will have to resort to the Bush Cutter which Stuart is set to resurrect , which he intends to run on the occasional pig head and a glass of mauby.
Crusoe February 10, 2015 at 4:26 PM #
Maybe we should give it a chance, after all, the wild tamarind could be grown on the millions of acres of land that lies fallow….
Hah.
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Could be ? Sir. Check Kinglands Estates Ltd and a greater part of the Scotland District. We have an abundance of wild tamarind.
Workers at BADC being offered seperation packages……Dooms Day start,….who nxt?
Serve all DEM quick fix workers who vote for Dem for a job, out there on the Harbour Rd, go join nah brothers from NCC….wanna vote dem IN and now in less than 2 years ..DEM puttin wanna OUT !
Is called Fruendel Trickery, that wanna had to learn D hard way..
This Govt. has to be praised for achieving the ultimate goal of all previous Govts. the destruction of the Sugar industry.Against the odds they have done what no one before was able to do .All hail.
The Indian name for England was roughly translated by British troops,serving in India, during the days of the British Empire ,as Blighty. We here in Barbados have always been proud to call our selves Little England. We should now more appropriately refer to this little rock as BIG BLIGHTy.
Lay offs after lay offs, but these bastards are still holding on , with their many uncalled for ministries, drawing salaries and allowances , each and every month, and on time.
@ Vincent
This Govt. has to be praised for achieving the ultimate goal of all previous Govts. the destruction of the Sugar industry.Against the odds they have done what no one before was able to do .All hail.
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OnlySugar Cane?…Man this Govt FAIL AT EVERY SHOITE……MEKK WE D LAUGHING STOCK OF THE REGION…..big head teefing buffoons evaone,,….carrying on from dat LONG DED LIZARD COLOR SHOITE…..serve wanna RIGHT!
The following was submitted as an email to BU:
David February 10, 2015 at 6:47 PM #
The following was submitted as an email to BU
………………………………………………….
David
Brazil does ethanol,with some hiccups,on the land mass they have…….note our land mass
I wonder who the BB that sent you that e-m……..we really mekking sport…..yuh mean to say wid alluh duh free edication……we lack commonsense
The Math was done over 40 years ago.
@David
Do you think that local farmers will be willing once again to venture into the cultivation of fuel canes for the production of ethanol, having been bitten once,a few years ago when they were encouraged to plant fuel canes, only to ploughed them into the ground ,two or three years later and having lost a couple of years production of standard sugar canes in those fields, as the ethanol plant , which was promised by the government and its technocrats never got off the ground.
Barbados farmers have lost all confidence in this government and its hot and cold Minister of Agriculture.
@Colonel
No!
Received via BU email.
Why not look seriously at fuel ethanol from cane juice, and direct consumption sugar for local use, as the new model for the sugar industry. In the short term a distillery is easier to fund and bring on stream. The products and by products should provide the income to sustain the Sugar Cane Industry. Someone should do the math.
Since there is only one factory operating now, a continuous fermentation and distillation plant should be attached. (Check Brazil for the investment needed.)
Sugar Cane growing and milling cannot be viable today, if it is converted only to Bulk Sugar, Molasses, Bagasse and Mud. The addition of fuel ethanol and it’s by products is the way to diversify in the short term to increase income. This will also have a positive impact on the environment and the cost of fuel.
Please advise if the makes any common sense.
THE GREATER AMOUNT OF ETHANOL MADE AND SOLD THE MORE VIABLE THE SUGAR INDUSTRY.
THIS IS TODAY’S MATH AT THE MOST UNENTHUSIASTIC SALES AND EXPENDITURE FORECAST.
PRODUCTION
% CANE TO SUGAR
25.00
SUGAR
96.00
5,630.34
SUGAR TQ
5,405.12
MOLASSES ton
% CANE
3.068
1,749.73
ETHANOL
% CANE TO ETHANOL
75.00
10,462,784.64
CO2
15,139,520.00
FEED YEAST
20.00
INCOME
SUGAR TQ
$1,150.00
$6,215,892.35
SHIPPING COST TQ
($98.00)
($529,702.13)
MOLASSES ton
$205.00
$358,694.86
SUGAR AND MOLASSES STOCK MOVEMENT
($3,058,700.00)
ETHANOL LITERS
$2.40
$25,110,683.14
CO2 LBS
$1.50
$22,709,280.00
FEED YEAST TON
$1,300.00
$26,000.00
SUB TOTAL
$50,832,148.22
NON SUGAR CROPS
$2,700,300.00
NON SUGAR CROPS COST
($1,800,000.00)
NON SUGAR CONTRIBUTION
$900,300.00
OTHER INCOME
$37,000,000.00
TOTAL INCOME
$88,732,448.22
COSTS OF PRODUCTION
CANE PURCHASE
($74.00)
/ton cane BAMC
($8,523,396.06)
AGRICULTURE
($168.80)
/ton cane BAMC
($19,442,557.50)
FACTORY
($834.77)
/ton 96
($18,800,146.60)
FINANCE
($354,275.00)
/month
($4,251,300.00)
HUMAN RESOURCE
($224,866.67)
/month
($2,698,400.00)
GENERAL MANAGEMENT
($214,533.33)
/month
($2,574,400.00)
CORPORATE FLEET
$0.00
DISTILLERY
($75,000.00)
/month
($900,000.00)
ETHANOL LITERS
($0.35)
($3,661,974.62)
CO2 LBS
($0.15)
($2,270,928.00)
FEED YEAST TON
($100.00)
($2,000.00)
TOTAL
($63,125,102.78)
Other Cost
Overdraft Interest
$0.00
Depreciation
($6,862,400.00)
Bad Debts
$0.00
Crop Financing Cost
($84,300.00)
Finance Charges
The power of branding adds value.
http://store.kauaicoffee.com/premium-maui-gold-raw-sugar-p103.aspx
I hear the Government of Barbados has entered into an agreement with IntraSugar Partners Limited to build a new factory at Andrews complete with the co-generation of electricity.
fuel ethanol? what a joke.
@ David February 11, 2015 at 5:56 PM
“OTHER INCOME ………………. $37,000,000.00”
What a laugh! How can a figure so large be treated as “Other”.
Any one with a modicum of training and experience is Finance and Accounting (especially Management Accounting) can see at a glance those figures are just fudges and guesstimates “estimated” to justify some fictitious project.
@millertheanunnaki February 12, 2015 at 6:48 AM #
It is known as New Finance&Accounting……this the end result of the free education we have been exposed to over the last 50 years………we have some real bright fellahs ’bout here…….soon Bim will be out of debt hole……have faith
miller
pay david no mind with ethanol bullshit. ethanol has been ruled out by both BLP and DLP for including in the sugar industry restructuring project. both the BLP and DLP chose to centre the project around the production of energy from sustain local green biomass.