FROME, Westmoreland — Westmoreland cane cutters, Kevin Spence and Devon Stone, each won parcels of land valued at a total of $1.4 million after being named national champions in the annual cane cutters competition.

The Central Westmoreland Trust (CWT) provided the lots for the duo, which set a new record of cutting 400 feet of cane.

Five years ago, the CWT set aside the two lots at the Toll Gate subdivision as an incentive for Westmoreland participants, who had not tasted victory at the national level.

At that time, the competition was in its sixth year.

Now 11 years later, Westmoreland cutters Spence and Stone have taken home the prize.

Entering the competition for the first time, the pair of cutters qualified for the national competition after winning at the parish level and chopped their way to victory.

They received service lots valued at $700,000 each.

Speaking at the handing over ceremony, Aston Smith, operations manager at the Frome Division of the Sugar Company of Jamaica (SCJ), said the company would give the cutters a start in building houses on the lands.

According to Victor Drum, Frome’s cane farmers manager, the men who won had mastered all the criteria set before them which included speed, base cutting, topping and trash management.

He added that the competition was initiated to put cane cutters on the platform as they seemed to be the least recognised, despite the important role they play in the production of sugar.

Just last month, the Stone and Spence duo, along with another pair of cutters from the Frome Division, was presented with bicycles for being the parish champions and they vowed that they would make Frome proud in the finals. The other pair answered just one question incorrectly and was bumped out of the second slot to end up in third place.