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NFU TO FSC CHIEF EXECUTIVE Graham Clark: Apologize for the insulting remarks about cane farmers 'Always Looking For Handouts'

7/6/2017

6 Comments

 

“He [Clark] forgets that the Fiji Sugar Corporation is the biggest receiver of government “handouts”. It is well known that FSC is bankrupt, kept afloat by government guaranteed loans of which another $202m loan guarantee was approved by Parliament two weeks ago. FSC to date owes government $174 million but some $900m of taxpayers funds have already been written off since 2002. It seems it is alright for FSC to get money from the government but not for farmers.”
NFU general secretary Mahendra Chaudhry

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The National Farmers Union wants an apology from FSC Chief Executive Graham Clark for the insulting remark he made about cane farmers “always looking for handouts”, says general secretary Mahendra Chaudhry.

“He forgets that the Fiji Sugar Corporation is the biggest receiver of government “handouts”. It is well known that FSC is bankrupt, kept afloat by government guaranteed loans of which another $202m loan guarantee was approved by Parliament two weeks ago.

“FSC to date owes government $174 million but some $900m of taxpayers funds have already been written off since 2002.

“It seems it is alright for FSC to get money from the government but not for farmers,” Mr Chaudhry said.

He was responding to a statement from Mr Clark in today’’s Fiji Times in response to a farmer’s query. Clark was reported saying, “Why should the government give you money? Work hard and do something for yourselves.”

“This is an insult to the growers and he must apologise to them. On the one hand he insults the farmers, in another report in today’s paper he claims growers are a very important part of the industry and FSC will work closely with them in an effort to revive the industry. ”

“He must first learn to respect the growers before he can get their trust and support, ” Mr Chaudhry said.

Clark is a newcomer to the industry. He may not know that while government has given tens of millions of dollars to the tourism industry over the years and to support the international golf tournament at Natadola, cane farmers have received virtually nothing from the government.

If they are asking for assistance today, it is because this government has done everything possible to try and suppress growers’ organisations and silence the voice of the cane farmer.

"For 8 years now growers have not had a say in the affairs of the industry.

“We call on FSC to talk to the growers’ representatives if it wants their cooperation in getting the industry out of its current morass,” Mr Chaudhry said.

A case in point is the current situation at the Labasa Mill. FSC says it has so far lost 58 hours of crushing time because of insufficient cane supply.

“We had warned them that this will happen because farmers do not have sufficient funds to meet the cost of harvesting,” Mr Chaudhry said. They did not listen to us.

6 Comments
Simon Reddy
7/6/2017 12:40:56 pm

FSC executives and employees are paid massive salaries and benefits while farmers receive peanuts. The CEO, COO and Board Chairman are all experts with no idea of the sufferings of our farmers. The outburst by CEO is way out of line and he should be kicked out of his position immediately. They are sucking the blood of the farmers and have the audicity to say that farmers don't deserve to live a decent life while they enjoy luxurious lifestyles. Bring Jaganath Sami and make him CEO of FSC. He had much more knowledge of the sugar industry than any chimps currently occupying managerial positions at FSC. Send CEO back to SA and all experts to their countries.

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Chiku
9/6/2017 07:21:09 am

Anyone who tells a sugarcane farmer in Fiji to " work hard and do something for yourself " does not know the first thing about cane farming in Fiji. Cane farming is hard labour and more back breaking hard labour. Unlike the Fijian military playing rugby is not a part of the cane farmers work day! Any sitting around in an air- conditioned office like the CEO of FSC is no part of the cane farmers work routine. He is out in the open fields with the sun beating down on him or the rain pelting him.
Shame on any arsehole who tells a cane farmer to work hard. Working hard is a cane farmers' life. They don't become rich overnight by their hard work unlike coup generated politicians and their agents who amass considerable wealth without needing to do any real hard work.

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Dekho
9/6/2017 11:09:19 pm

Anyone managing the sugar industry ( as the chief executive of FSC is meant to do ) who says to cane farmers that they need to " work hard and do something for themselves" rather than looking out for " handouts " renders himself unfit for that job. The cane farmers should mobilise to demand his removal. It's a gross insult to cane farmers. An apology is not enough. Unlike politicians, big business, the military the cane farmers do not parasite on public money.
They work hard to make a living for their families often without the luxuries that characterise the lifestyle of the parasites and real handout receivers in the country.

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Samjoe
10/6/2017 12:09:42 am

Talking about " Looking For Handout " that's one of the first things coupist Frank Bainimarama did after his power grab. The handout from the state coffers was disguised as a " back pay". The coupist turned prime minister has been " looking for handout" from the public purse, in one form or another, ever since.
There is hardly any talk about the handouts the coupist prime minister and his cronies are enjoying because they are powerful. It's easy to talk about the purported " handout " seeking by cane farmers because they are powerless.

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Rajend Naidu
10/6/2017 02:05:18 am

Editor,
Adding Insult to Injury with Handout Talk
When I was a welfare officer in Fiji I would hear from time to time some politician or some other big shot talk about the " handout mentality " of welfare recipients. These well heeled people were clueless about the life of struggle these welfare poor endured to make ends meet for themselves, their family and children, especially those at school.
I still remember a gentle and very articulate old Fijian man who used to come to the welfare office from Bukuya in the interior of Ba by bus and then wobble on one leg with the help of a steady old tree branch from the bus stand to the office. He was a war veteran.
When I asked him if he needed an increase in his welfare allowance ( which was nothing worth talking about ) he said no . He said his own sense of dignity would not allow him to take from the state any more than was necessary to supplement his own efforts.
I respected that old soldier on welfare more than many politicians and other big shots who made noise about " welfare handouts".
I am sure people who have worked with cane farmers and witnessed first hand the hard work they put in to make a living will feel the same way .
Sincerely,
Rajend Naidu

Reply
Mangal link
10/6/2017 09:46:35 am

A lot has been said here and in other blogs as well as mainstream media on the Sugar industry.For,me I was born in the sugar cane belt.I planted,cultivated,fertilized,and harvested cane in my teens.I am fully aware of the difficulties,hard labor and worries of a cane farmer.Although ours was a small farm our whole family , parents and two brothers worked very hard to get 165-200 tonnes of cane per year.And I have never forgotten those tough days....After completing my studies,I did not wan to return to the cane fields at any cost, therefore studied hard to get out of this.Those days and these days not much has changed in the cane fields.Although the industry is said to benefit some 200,000 people both directly or indirectly it is on a struggling fight to survive for many.My assessment and analysis is that there is no future as, the sugar industry makes loss after loss, every year, for the last two decades.This has also seen a $900Million written off over the years.As of now sugarcane fetches around $85.00 per tonne after it is harvested and delivered to the mills.The harvesting and delivery chews up the 50-60% of the cane price per tonne.So what the farmer is left with hardly $40.00 per tonne.With this the farmer has to cultivate,fertilize,control weeds,pay land rent and other labor costs to see the crop for the next season .He will be lucky if there is no cyclones,floods or other natural disaster.Cane farming is therefore not economically viable under these conditions when farmers wait for the full payment for approximately 18 months.No crop has these terms and conditions.For Copra there is a fixed price,for rice there is a fixed price-why there is No fixed price for sugar cane?After fighting all these,the Sugar Industry has come a long way and is the only industry where both regional and national politics is groomed.The cane farmers are taken for a ride by the ruling parties and farmers are often used as pawns.The current ruling party is no different,they are not bothered about the farmers but their own pockets.BUT it is the farmers who need to stand up now and look for alternate crop to help assist them in getting more value to their new found crops.I will urge the children of farmers who are educated to make a smart move,if you go to any market (municipal) what is the most expensive commodity out on sale and which never loses its value?Yes it is Yaqona.Currently it is selling at $200,000.00 per tonne.And by 2018 (Election Time) it is expected to go up by $250,000.00 per tonne.All the farmers should do, is to plant a minimum of 100plants of Yaqona in their most fertile lot of land and increase the number by 100 per year.It takes 5 years for the crop to mature.This will not only help assist you in minimizing your costs but earn you good money in 5 years.The demand of yaqona will not go down as now this commodity is exported in many countries and the middlemen are making a "kill" out of this commodity.Your sugarcane will get you $85.00 per tone.This Yaqona will get you $170.00 per KG.Do share this if you are the son of a cane farmer and want to see a new Tractor or a 4x4 in 5 years at your farmland,this is the way to go.

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