Caribbean sugar workers protest at EU plans

Several dozen people protested outside the European Union’s offices in Guyana yesterday against EU plans to drastically cut the price of sugar imports from the Caribbean.

About 60 sugar workers, including sugar industry chief Mike Boast and labour leaders, picketed the EU office.

The EU proposal would cut the price of sugar imports from the region by 33% in 2007.

Guyana, Jamaica, Belize, Trinidad, St Kitts and Barbados export about 325,000 tons of sugar to the European Union at a preferential rate.

The EU plan would slash prices by 20% next year in the first phase of the cuts.