Green paper prepared for sugar industry
PRIME Minister P J Patterson has urged stakeholders in the sugar industry to, by next week, help shape the industry’s green paper which is to go before Parliament during the 2003/2004 budget debate.
The green paper outlines a master plan for the rationalisation of the sector.
Minister of Agriculture, Roger Clarke, will introduce the document during his contribution to the debate, following which responses will be invited from interested groups and members of the public.
At Wednesday’s meeting with industry representatives at Jamaica House, the prime minister urged industry players, including the All-Island Cane Farmers Association, trade unions and private sugar producers, to making their submissions within the coming week. Submissions may be sent, via the Cabinet offices, to the task force on sugar which is headed by Marjorie Henriques.
The Prime Minister also announced that a report on the regime for the importation of refined sugar is scheduled to be presented to Cabinet for consideration prior to the start of the budget debate.