In an effort to curb the industry of these illicit cane fires, last week, the company offered just under quarter million dollars in reward through Crime Stop, for information leading to the arrest and charge of persons responsible for the illicit fires at several farms.
"We are offering rewards of up to $225,000 for information at this time for the arrest or conviction of persons involved," Livingston Morrison, chief executive officer of the SCJ, told The Sunday Gleaner.
$50,000 - St. Jago Farm in ClarendonThe reward scheme is based on the areas worst affected, he said.
With a target of 130,000 tonnes of sugar to produce this year, the SCJ has already lost nearly 10,000 tonnes of cane so far. But Mr. Morrison is adamant that what he called "this orchestrated effort" would not stop them from achieving the target.
"It is affecting us in a very significant way, but we are working hard to solve the problem," he said.
Over the last two months, there have been 65 illicit fires stretching over four estates with Frome in Westmoreland and Monymusk in Clarendon affected the most.
YET TO MAKE ANY BREAKTHROUGH
The police have yet to make any breakthrough. According to Sergeant Michael Campbell of the Police Crime Stop Unit: "We have not received information so no arrest has been made."
Mr. Morrison speculated that, with the streamlining of procedures and the reduction of waste, persons who would normally benefit from laxity in the operations are hurting from such measures and might be the ones committing these illicit acts.
This suggestion is supported by A.C. McDonald, chairman of the All Island Sugar Cane Association. According to him there are a lot of reasons for illicit fires.
"Once the cane is burnt it must be reaped. So a lot of people who want to get paid up front, apply fire to make it appear illicit. Most of the fires are burnt on purpose," he pointed out.
According to the SCJ, other than trying to create work, illicit fires are carried out as acts of reprisal against the impounding or shooting of stray animals or to sabotage the Government.
Andrew Anderson, chief union delegate at the Frome Division said employees were working relentlessly for the success of the crop.
PERSONAL REASONS
"There are people who burn the cane for personal reasons and we the workers have appealed to the community to help us," he said.
The SCJ is spending some $100 million to repair its Frome factory and another $40 million to ensure what it says will be greater levels of efficiency, productivity, reliability and consistency of the factory's operation.
The illicit fires are not the only thing plaguing the sugar industry, however. The SCJ reports that damage by stray cattle is estimated at $84 million annually.
