Golden Grove farmers, cane cutters to get payouts Friday

Shanna kaye Monteith, Gleaner Writer 

Some 205 cane farmers in St Thomas are set to receive the long-awaited cash payments as a part of the government’s pledge of $200 million to assist those displaced by the closure of the Golden Grove Sugar Factory.

Cane cutters and ex-factory workers are also to receive compensation.

The sums are to be paid on Friday) at the old factory.

It was previously announced that the payments would have been made in February.

Speaking with The Gleaner, former chairman of the All-Island Cane Farmers Association Allan Rickards explained that only cane farmers listed as registered will qualified for payments.  

“Registered cane farmers are those who deliver cane to a factory without breaking the sequence for two crops, therefore, any farmer who supplied cane to the factory over the last two crops will be entitled to a cash payment as a part of the assistance package announced by the minister,” he said, noting that this will be followed by other aspects of the package which includes providing fertilisers, seeds and land.

Rickards said the payment exercise will observe social distancing guidelines as set by the government in light of the global COVID-19 pandemic.

“Arrangements have been made with the police to ensure that the facilities are set up in a manner that will not offend regulations of more than 10 people be gathered at any particular location,” he said.

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