A
view across a canefield. Such views are typical of the heart
of sugarcane country in central Trinidad. Photos: Dilip
Singh
The
wind whistles through tall pine trees atop a ridge in central
Trinidad.
The view below is that of Trinidad’s sugar belt—miles
and miles of cane stalks still standing, but no longer tended—that
is slowing giving way to housing, industry and energy. Land
adjacent to the National Energy Corporation along Rivulet
Road, Couva, has been cleared for dozens of pipes which
are being stored for industrial sites in south Trinidad.
The former estate manager is speaking candidly enough, but
stops short of allowing his name to be used as he has an
outstanding legal matter over land use and acquisition with
sugar company officials.
He spoke of a few sugar cane farmers providing rum producer
Angostura Ltd with freshly-cut canes to make its 10 Cane
rum which is sold in North America.
The former manager said the contracted farmers have three
hours from the time the cane is cut to get it to Angostura’s
Ste Madeleine operations.
He said a French company is negotiating with some cane farmers
to form a co-operative to purchase the assets of the Sugar
Manufacturing Company Ltd (SMCL), which replaced Caroni.
The French company is not interested in the sugarcane itself,
but the by-product—bagasse— which they plan to
process into paper, the former manager said.
He also spoke about a former Caroni manager at Brechin Castle
who paid $18,000 for tonnes of bagasse that was reportedly
worth $3 million.
He
used Caroni equipment and materials to fence off the bagasse,”
the former estate manager said. “He made about ten
times the VSEP he got.”
The former estate manager, who has cultivated citrus on
land owned by Caroni but gives it all away, said efforts
are being made to get former Caroni workers to form a co-operative
to produce food.
Government
has asked SMCL to help them,” the former estate manager
said.
Such assistance is expected to come in the way of brush
cutting land, plowing, rotavating, banking and providing
fertilisers and pesticides, which many workers will not
be able to afford on their own.
He explained that assistance will not be provided in the
form of money, but for services and equipment provided and
costed accordingly. The idea is to pay those agricultural
farmers based on the quantum of vegetables produced.
I
don’t believe in giving cash to produce. Money is a
disincentive,” the former estate manager said.
Regarding the occupation of Caroni-owned houses, he said
they signed agreements to the effect that they can purchase
those properties, but a new recommendation has been made
that they can buy only 10,000 square feet of property.
In this former manager’s case, 10,000 square feet doesn’t
cover his water tank and citrus fruit trees laid out in
neat rows bearing handsomely in the flat plains below. He
is interested in buying the property, on one condition:
he can afford the price.
In the midday sun, a casual worker was brushcutting the
grass, giving greater prominence to the yellow grapefruits
set against pommecythere-green leaves.
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