FSC refutes claims
THE Fiji Sugar Corporation has refuted recent claims by the National Farmers Union that the Rarawai mill was crushing well below its capacity of 30,000 tonnes per week.
FSC chief executive officer Graham Clark said despite some frustrating breakdowns “which received prompt attention”, the Rarawai mill had crushed 17 per cent more cane than for the same period in the past three years.
He said in the past three weeks the average crush has been 28,000 tonnes per week – on target to end the season by the end of November
National Farmers Union general secretary Mahendra Chaudhry claimed drivers were waiting anywhere between eight to 12 hours to unload their lorries and there was always a backlog of lorries as a result of breakdowns or Rarawai’s low crush rate.
The former prime minister claimed the backlog at the mill was worsened by the “free distribution of harvest quotas to harvesting gangs.”
Mr Chaudhry called on the miller to maintain a balance between harvest quotas issued and the mill’s crush rate to avoid congestion.
He claimed lorry drivers from Tavua and Ra had to pay up to $5 each to private lodge owners to use their toilets and bathrooms.
“Facilities for lorry drivers on long waits are shocking – extremely unhygienic and filthy.”
Mr Chaudhry also claimed that the Labour Ministry and Health Department officials had not taken any action to get the miller to provide washrooms, shower and toilet facilities that complied with health and safety standards as required under the relevant laws.