By Belize Live News Staff: Today’s scheduled public hearing of the Commission of Inquiry into the sugar industry has been postponed after last-minute rescheduling by the Progressive Sugar Cane Farmers Association (PSCPA) and the Corozal Sugar Cane Farmers Association (CSCPA).
According to a press release issued by the commission, these stakeholders, originally slated to appear today, will now be heard on Thursday, September 5th.
The commission stated that while public hearings are paused, commissioners will continue their work, meeting to analyze information gathered during the previous hearings. However, these meetings and discussions will not be livestreamed.
Public hearings and livestreaming will resume on Saturday, August 31st, at the Escuela Secundaria Mexico in San Roman village, Corozal District where the Sugar Industry Control Board (SICB) and various arms, including the Sugar Cane Production Committee (SCPC) and the Sugar Industry Research and Development Institute (SIRDI) are scheduled to appear.
The hearings will relocate to the Ministry of Agriculture’s conference room in Belmopan on Monday, September 2nd, with Santander Sugar appearing before the commission followed by the Corozal Sugar Cane Producers Association (CSCPA) on Tuesday, September 3rd. The hearings will return to Corozal on Wednesday, September 4th, and Thursday, September 5th for appearances by the Progressive Sugar Cane Producers Association (PSCPA), Northern Sugar Cane Growers Association (NSCGA), Belize Electricity Limited (BEL) and the Public Utilities Commission (PUC).
Despite the delay, the commission remains committed to completing its inquiry and providing recommendations for the industry’s future.
