Farmers want their official in council
NOBODY is listening to us and we want our representatives in the Sugar Cane Growers Council, farmers in Tavua and Sigatoka have demanded.
At a meeting in Dramasi Tavua, grower Rajendra Raglu demanded Government to hold SCGC elections as soon as possible.
“When the SCGC was in the hands of the farmers we didn’t have any problems,” he said.
“We now have staff in SCGC office who have no mandate to make decisions.”
Permanent secretary for the Ministry of Sugar Yogesh Karan didn’t respond to queries sent to him.
The Sugar Cane Growers Fund was also criticised at the Tavua and Sigatoka meetings for implementing policies without consulting them
“The application fee has been doubled, a 6 per cent service charge has been loaded, and 6 per cent monthly compounded interest has come in.”
Questions were emailed to the SCGF chief executive officer Raj Sharma. No response was received when this edition went to press.
SUGARCANE farmers in Tavua have called on the Government to hold elections for the Sugar Cane Growers Council (SCGC).
At a meeting in Dramasi, grower Rajendra Raglu told National Federation Party leader Professor Biman Prasad to highlight this issue in Parliament.
“When the SCGC was in the hands of the farmers, we didn’t have any problems,” he said.
“All our complaints were dealt with in a timely manner under the arrangements that were in place under SCGC.”
Mr Raglu stated the mill area committees that existed were very effective where the growers and miller sat at one table to resolve issues at district level.
“All that has been taken away and nobody is listening to us anymore.
“We now have staff in SCGC office who have no mandate to make decisions. “I hereby move, with the support of all our farmers here in Tavua, that the elections for the Sugar Cane Growers Council should be held, as it is very important.
“That is the only way forward to resolving the many issues and problems we, the growers, have.”
Questions sent to the permanent secretary for Sugar, Yogesh Karan, on Thursday and yesterday remained unanswered when this edition went to press.