Posted: Thursday, March 20, 2025. 12:39 pm CST.
By Rubén Morales Iglesias: In a significant reshuffle, Prime Minister John Briceño has taken direct control of Belize’s sugar industry, moving it from the Ministry of Agriculture to the Office of the Prime Minister, and assigning the portfolio to Minister of State Dr. Osmond Martinez. Prime Minister Briceño made the announcement during his appearance on News 5’s Open Your Eyes on Tuesday. The decision comes as the industry faces increasing tensions and unresolved issues between the Belize Sugar Cane Farmers Association and the ASR/BSI sugar mill.
The situation, described as critical, prompted an urgent meeting between Prime Minister Briceño and top executives of ASR in February in Miami.
“I had to do, literally, an emergency trip to meet the owners and managers of ASR because they had some serious concerns in Belize on the way the sugar industry was being managed and the challenges that they were facing,” Prime Minister Briceño explained.
“So now sugar is directly under me, and I’m asking Dr. Martinez, as the Minister of State in Economic Development, to look into it on a day-to-day basis.”
This development significantly bolsters the influence of Dr. Osmond Peter Martinez, who now oversees one of the country’s most vital industries in addition to his responsibilities in economic development. For Agriculture Minister Jose Mai, who has spent years championing the cause of cane farmers, this reallocation of duties would appear to be a setback. His longstanding efforts to stand firm against ASR’s influence within the sugar industry have now been curtailed by this move.
However, his responsibilities are still vast at the Ministry of Agriculture, Food Security, and Enterprise.
The decision has sparked unease among farmer representatives in the north, who view the shift as a potential weakening of their role in industry discussions. There are also broader concerns about the implications of the Prime Minister’s recent meeting with ASR executives and the possible compromises reached during those discussions.
With this major transition, the government and stakeholders now look to Dr. Martinez to manage industry reforms and steer the sector through its current challenges.
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The post Prime Minister takes over Sugar Industry portfolio, assigns responsibility to Dr. Osmond Martinez appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.
Posted: Thursday, March 20, 2025. 12:39 pm CST. By Rubén Morales Iglesias: In a significant reshuffle, Prime Minister John Briceño has taken direct control of Belize’s sugar
The post Prime Minister takes over Sugar Industry portfolio, assigns responsibility to Dr. Osmond Martinez appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.
