When ground was broken for the co-generation project in October 2007, BelCogen Chairman Joey Montalvo declared that the new facility would be the anchor of the Sugar Industry.  Well, if the newly-commissioned co-generation has been that “anchor,” with its constant predicaments, the industry may very well be sinking in the first three months of the crop season.

Since the start of the crop, we’ve reported on numerous complaints from cane farmers on the factory’s stuttering caused by faults with the co-generation link.  At times, even BSI officials seem fatigued to have to explain why the factory is underperforming.  It has been agreed on several instances that the co-generation glitches have inhibited this year’s sugar production.

But one group we have not heard of, until today that is, is the workers of BSI.  They are the ones who operate the boilers, shredders, and are in charge of dealing with dangerous steam on a daily basis.  These days, the workers are even working overtime – so to speak – because the factory is behind with the milling of cane and production of sugar.

You woudn’t know that workers are frustrated, but today President of Belize Worker’s Union Horris Patten, spoke on behalf of the employees of BSI, and he fired off.

Horris Patten, President, Belize Worker’s Union

“This cogeneration project up to the time although BSI is saying that they need time to get the notches and all these things fixed up, it frustrates workers. The crop goes through and its fail and it fails not only the workers but the whole country of Belize. The whole country of Belize feels the wrath of what went down.  Then it affects the workers because when they go to negotiate you suppose to negotiate June and then they will say but you know we had a bad crop and this happened.  Then the workers still knows that the cost of living is high. So if you are doing your best to produce and you are doing your best to produce and you are unable to produce and then you cannot get an increase then you get frustrated.”

Alberto Vellos- CTV-3 News Editor

“Are workers frustrated?”

Horris Patten, President, Belize Worker’s Union

 “A lot of the workers are they are very frustrated in the way things are going.”