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Furthermore, the CGA's Chairman of the Board, Eccleston Irving told 7 News today, Canton is once again acting alone without consulting the industry's key stakeholders.

Eccleston Irving, Chairman - CGA
"As we see it, there is two processing plants for for which, one at Pomona, the Citrus Company of Belize, and the other one at Alta Vista, which is the Belize Food Products Limited. We are to understand that the move afoot, to close one of those processing plants, without any participation or consultation with the Citrus Growers Association, nor with it's investment company, to participate and to have a full understanding as to what is taking place, so that our input can be put in from the inception."

Jim McFadzean "You're saying as the Chairman of the CGA, you have not received any correspondence from Dr. Henry Canton, as to this plan that's being suggested, that he will in fact attempt to close down one of these factories?"

Eccleston Irving
"No Sir, we have received no such plans, and we have received not such consultation."

Jim McFadzean
"So how do you know that it is in fact a plan that has merit?"

Ecclestion Irving
"Well what happened is that the committee, a week ago, that concept was thrown out because of the nature of the participation of the committee. Shortly after it was brought to the attention of the management and parties involved, that such an endeavor would have to be a matter for Board decision. And 2 days afterwards, such a concept paper was sent to the Board."

Jim McFadzean
"What aspect of the industry will the closure of this plain, if in fact he goes throught with the closing down of one of these plants, where is the lost going to be felt most?"

Eccleston Irving
"Well, the lost is going to be felt all over country, as far as I'm concerned, but in terms of our representation, our representation is one to our investment in the plant itself. The other one is the issue of growers themselves, that there can be a number of losses to growers. We are here to protect the interests of growers."

But in a telephone conversation this afternoon with 7 News, Dr. Henry Canton says the CGA is once again being disingenuous. A concept paper, he accuses the CGA of leaking to the press, outlines his goal which is to "concentrate primary processing activity at only one facility due to the low delivery of fruit", based on projections for the 2011/2012 crop year. Canton says it is simply in line with his job as the CEO, to make recommendations for the best way forward for the company, and "exploring all possible ways of improving the financial performance of CPBL."

Canton says if the move is adopted, it could yield substantial savings in operations costs for the company, while improving on efficiency. The company he says has experienced losses over the last two years, blamed on the underproduction of orange and grapefruit caused by both Hurricane Richard and the citrus greening disease. Canton says based on his projections for crop output next year, estimated at under 6 million boxes, he has recommended the suspension of operations for the primary processing facility.

Canton has acknowledged that the move if accepted will affect the employment of 50 to 100 workers at any given time during what he calls a suspension of operations. In a press release issued by CPBL late this afternoon, Canton states that the concept paper has in fact been circulated to all members of the Board and the financial implications of such a concept is still being studied.