Monday: Final Day for SLBC
By Micah George

The expected march on the headquarters of the St. Lucia Banana Corporation (SLBC) yesterday by farmers to demand the dissolution of the SLBC did not materialize, however the anxiety by employees that Monday could be their last day at the Corporation was very much present.
Chairman Eustace Monrose and General Manager Michael Joseph were still hoping, prior to press time yesterday, that a court injunction would still come through prior to press time yesterday to prevent a Windward Islands Banana Development and Exporting Company (WIBDECO) termination notice from taking effect Tuesday as it claimed.
WIBDECO last month cancelled its supply contract with SLBC effective April 1st 2008 saying that SLBC is not Fairtrade Certified in accordance with the rules governing the purchase and sale of bananas in the European Union.

WIBDECO has since signed a contract with the only Fairtrade Certified banana company in St. Lucia called St. Lucia National Fairtrade Organization to purchase fruit come April 1st 2008.
Meanwhile the Chairman of the St. Lucia Agriculturists Association, Cuthbert Phillips says he is not a member of SLBC’s board of directors as indicated by Monrose and that he does not attend meetings as often as Monrose says he does.
Phillips said he is an SLBC shareholder.The question he asked this week regarding $3.6 million SLBC received from WIBDECO about five years ago was asked by him because the members of his chamber asked him to do so and that he was never personally attacking Monrose or anyone at the SLBC.
Phillips declined comment when asked, as a shareholder, whether he thinks that the SLBC should be dissolved.