An Independent Senator is suggesting that it would not be in the country’s best interest to abandon the sugar industry.
Former educator, Senator Alwyn Adams made the point as he suggested that if steps are taken to abandon sugar, the country would in a way be “turning our backs on agriculture”.
“I say that because the history of agriculture in Barbados has shown that when the sugar industry did well, the non-sugar part of agriculture, that is the food part of agriculture also did well and that has to do with our food security. Therefore, it will follow logically, in a practical way, that if we were to abandon the industry at this stage, we might in fact be writing our death warrant,” he warned.
As such, he is adamant that it would be foolhardy to decide that the bulk of the nation’s food should be imported, and in turn give up the land to be used to build houses and golf courses. To that end, he said all Barbadians must recognise that the demise of the sugar industry would be to the detriment of us all.
The Senator added, “Secondly, the concept of the aesthetics. In other words, should we abandon our countryside and allow it to run to ruin as my grandmother would say, with bush, and as result we would no longer as we are starting to see, we would no longer see the green leaves of the canes swaying gently in the breeze. I think that that would obviously be a retrograde step and hence we ought not to abandon the sugar industry.”
Adams’ comments came as he noted that the sugar industry is also vital to the rum industry. He explained that without the former, there would be no molasses to support the latter industry.
“The rum is a major industry growth industry in Barbados. Last year I think it was, the now manager of Mount Gay indicated that there is a great demand for the rum in all the major metropolitan centres in the world. [In] Paris, Luxemburg, London, all the way up in Russia, China, the demand for Barbadian rum, we really cannot supply enough,” he said.
With that in mind, he stated if it is found that we are not producing the molasses from which the rum is being made, it could hamper the export of the rum, particularly to the European Union. As such, he said Barbados cannot rely on the importation of “maybe inferior molasses” from elsewhere which would affect the quality of the Barbados branded rum, and still expect to maintain our share of the market. He put forward the same argument as it relates to Falernum, which is also made here in Barbados and utilised in the creation of many drinks across the world.
Adams’ remarks came last week as he contributed to the debate on a resolution to guarantee a bond of up to $73 million for Barbados Agricultural Management Company Limited arranged by ANSA Merchant Bank in the Upper House. (JRT)
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