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As we told you, his ministry was stripped of the sugar industry. But was it a demand from ASR who owns the BSI sugar mill? Today the Prime Minister rejected that narrative:

Reporter
"But do you consider that the farmers could look at this development that you now take over the sugar industry, as in essence, giving some power to the multinational company?"

John Briceno, Prime Minister
"I'm at a loss."

Reporter
"I've phrased it wrong. But can they take..."

John Briceno, Prime Minister
"I don't see how on God's earth you could come to that conclusion. It's simply that, what has happened is that I met with the farmers. the associations, the four of them, along with is ASR BSI., Minister of Agriculture and SIRDI to set up this task force to see how we could look at the commission of inquiry and their recommendations, to see what can be applicable now because we we're in a crisis mode."

"But why is it that we took it on? Well, simply because I felt that we needed to show that they're giving it the most important priority by having it under the office of the Prime Minister. And then I brought in, Minister, well, Doctor, Honorable Martinez, who who is a trained economist on that can be able to give it the day to day attention and then along and then working along with us, so that we could be able to, to hopefully steer it through this existential threat that is going through at this time."

Reporter
"Are you concerned about what can happen in this year in particular, given that a new agreement needs to be negotiated between BSCFA and BSI?"

John Briceno, Prime Minister
"Well, I think that, I think that basically the leaders are realizing that, you know, we could be continuing this fighting back and forth, and we might be fighting over nothing. So it's important that we be able to, to look at the industry as a whole and what is in the best interest of everyone and not individuals. As it is right now, BSCFA, Belize Sugar Cane Farmers Association is going through an existential threat themselves because right now they refuse, they have been refusing to sign the fair trade and it's, there's a lot of moneys that that goes to the farmers. Because of that, their members, of which I am a member of that association. We're not getting the, the, the, the other help by signing unto Fair Trade which farmers desperately need."