Page 18 - IB MAR 2017

Industry

At death’s door

100 years old and left to die. Photo: Anish Chand
How Winston killed a sugar mill

By Anish Chand

IT’S been a year since Tropical Cyclone
Winston roared through Rakiraki in
north-western Fiji leaving a trail of
destruction and suffering in the small
township.
While the recovery is slow, Winston
has left one group of people in such a
state that it’s breaking up families and
taking an economic toll on Rakiraki’s
future.
The Penang sugar mill established in The damage left behind by Cyclone Winston in Rakiraki. Photo: File
1878 lies dead now. Winston caused
extensive damage to the mill and its cur- that money on the back end of the mill “I can tell you that this mill could be
rent owner, the Fiji Sugar Corporation, we can make better sugar at the Lautoka repaired and operated. If no-one, I am
is yet to announce what will happen to Sugar Mill and produce a product that ready to take on this job,” retired mill
the facility. we can sell at a higher price,” the former engineer Jone Ciri told a parliamentary
At the time of closure in February executive chairman of FSC Abdul Khan select committee on March 15th 2016.
2016, around 300 workers were em- said on February 5th 2016. “The announcement to close the mill
ployed at the mill. Now, close to two And when Winston caused damage caused an outcry from growers here
thirds of those employees have been estimated at around $4 million, FSC with suspicion that this was merely an
moved to other mills or have resigned. had their prayers answered. What an excuse to completely shut down the mill.
Before Winston came and in order to opportunity to close the mill? For several years, FSC had been publicly
save money, FSC was already talking Within weeks of Winston, working stating that the Penang mill was too ex-
about reducing operations at the Penang machinery and mechanical parts were pensive to run and will be closed down.”
mill by turning it into a syrup factory. removed from the Penang mill and Ciri said in his submission
“This is the corporation’s way of transferred to FSC’s other mills. Government has failed in assuring the
saving money for other investments This is before any opportunity was people of Rakiraki what will happen to
and utilising our own assets to produce given to an outside party to carry out a the mill.
good quality sugar. The main reason proper and impartial assessment of the They have changed their tune over a
we are going to produce only syrup at mill to see if could be re-built and oper- period of time.
Penang mill is that instead of spending ated for the 2016 sugar crushing season. n Continued next page

18 Islands Business, March 2017