Sugar workers in St. Thomas received payments totaling  $22 million from the Government on Thursday. This follows the closure of the Golden Grove Sugar Factory in July 2019 by manufacturing company, Seprod, which left many farmers, cane cutters, factory workers among others, out of a job.

When CVM LIVE  visited Golden Grove on Thursday, there was total chaos at Fred M. Jones Estate as workers argued that their payout was cut in half.

Cane cutters employed to Fred M. Jones Estate say they were to receive a $100,000 grant after being without jobs since July of 2019, when the Golden Grove Sugar Factory closed.

However, on Thursday, They received only $50,000 in the form of cheques while some workers at Bercyn Farm Limited received $100,000.

Amid the chaos, People’s National Party (PNP) candidate for St. Thomas Eastern Dr.Fenton Ferguson and owner of St.Thomas Sugar Farms Pearnel Charles Sr go head to head about the payment, with Dr. Ferguson stressing that the workers are entitled to an additional $50,000.

Pearnel Charles then explains why some workers at Bercyn Farm Limited received $100,000; however, all explanations went over the workers’ heads. They remain adamant that they will not be voting if they do not receive the rest of the money.

Aladden Love has this report: