Fall of sugar not solely to blame for rise in crime – Charles Jr
Published:Friday | November 4, 2022 | 12:14 AMAinsworth Morris/Staff Reporter
Sugar cane farmers and their associates believe that the closure of farms and factories is a major factor fuelling Jamaica’s crime crisis, tapping the ranks of vulnerable, unemployed youths.
Garfield Salmon triggered the discussion at Thursday’s 85th annual conference of the Jamaica Association of Sugar Technologists (JAST), held at their Research Division in Mandeville.
“Crimes are going up where more of the factories close!” Salmon argued at the conference.
“Keep the industry up! Never close the door of sugar industry in Jamaica. Never you ever! Ensure that even one factory remains. It is necessary! It is important! It provides all!” he said in an impassioned address.
But while acknowledging that the sugar industry held significant importance for the socio-economic landscape of Jamaica, Pearnel Charles Jr, minister of agriculture and fisheries, said that Salmon’s rhetoric may be oversimplifying the problem.
“It is in my view that it’s not just the removal or the shutting down, but it is perhaps the delays in replacing, even if not with sugar, but with some alternative that can give those communities the opportunity, the platform, to have sustainable livelihoods,” he said.
Charles Jr also said that each year, the sugar industry contributes millions of dollars to the Jamaican economy and provides a source of income for tens of thousands of Jamaicans, either directly or indirectly.
“Worldwide, we know that sugar is still a very important commodity. We see that there is well over 100 million tonnes being produced and consumed annually,” he said.
The agriculture minister said that industry stakeholders must take stock of illicit importation of sugar as well as direct and indirect competition from high levels of duty-free refined sugar, artificial sweeteners, sugar substitutes, as well as the limited access to the US market.
“All of these challenges, we want to find a way to map solutions toward success,” Charles said.
Salmon strongly believes that Jamaica’s dying sugar industry can survive. He has called for more bonded warehouses to be established.