The?decision?by dozens of workers at Portvale Factory to down tools for the past eight days has cost the Barbados Agricultural Management Company (BAMC) close to $300 000.
BAMC?general manager Leslie Parris said the protest action, which surrounded the absence of an enhanced separation package for 57 workers from Andrews Factory, had cost the BAMC?about $286 000.
“The BAMC’s losses are about $286 000 but that is subject to further consideration of cane that would have been cut by independent farmers and were left in the field. The losses that I speak of pertain to the BAMC, not necessarily to the farmers themselves,” he said.
Work resumes today at 7 a.m. and Parris expects no major technical hiccups.
“Our equipment was working very well up to the work stoppage. We are hoping that when we restart that all will go smoothly . . . . I trust that any issues that might arise will be minor, I hope,” he said.
Last year, Barbados produced less than 20 000 tonnes of sugar and it may be even less this season.
