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By Balford Henry, Observer Senior ReporterTuesday, September 03, 2013 | 6:58 AMKINGSTON, Jamaica — COMPLANT/Pan Caribbean Sugar Company and the unions representing workers at its Bernard Lodge, Frome and Monymusk estates, are headed for an understanding today, at the Ministry of Labour and Social Security, for resolving labour issues which have threatened the start of the sugar crop in November.Trade union sources told the Jamaica Observer Monday that, following a meeting with the workers on Friday in Mandeville, they believe that there is a basis to establish a framework for resolving the issues.The most immediate issue is that of 132 security guards who have been laid off since last month, and whose positions are likely to be made redundant by the company, and replaced by a contract with a private firm, Quest Security. However, there are several other industrial relations matters plaguing operations at the plants, which the government wants to see resolved before they interfere with preparations for the 2013/14 sugar crop. This led to a private meeting between Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, Roger Clarke, and the parties last week, which has set the stage for an early resolution.China National Complete Plant Import Export Corporation (COMPLANT), a subsidiary of Hua Lien International, owns Pan Caribbean, which was formed to operate the factories divested by the Government in 2011.Under the transfer agreement, Pan Caribbean needs to increase raw sugar production at the plants to 150,000 tonnes by 2014. But, production has been going in the wrong direction since.Clarke admitted in Parliament in May that production at the factories, which constitute 70 per cent of local sugar production, was falling. He explained that last year the COMPLANT plants produced only 65,000 tonnes of sugar. Clarke had promised the Government’s support in assisting Pan Caribbean to reach its target.Like our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/jamaicaobserverFollow us on Twitter https://twitter.com/JamaicaObserver
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Pan Caribbean, Unions draw closer to sugar deal
