Opposition spokesman on agriculture and rural development Dr Fenton Ferguson has expressed concern about the potential fall-out in the agriculture sector if operations at Serge Island Estate in western St Thomas are scaled down and the closure of the Golden Grove Sugar Factory in his St Thomas Eastern constituency should occur.

“If the Seprod group were to carry out these decisions, hundreds of workers will lose their jobs and commercial life, the transport sector and student education would be seriously impacted,” Dr Ferguson said in a news release.

He called on the Seprod group, Prime Minister Andrew Holness and the minister of agriculture and fisheries to bring clarity to the situation and work along with stakeholders to develop options to cauterise what he called the pending crisis.

He said that if both events occur they will further plunge the struggling parish into an economic crisis and families and communities that are already facing hardship will be greatly impacted.

Dr Ferguson said that the situation requires an urgent response and that he is willing and able to meet and partner with all parties with a view to work towards a solution.