The Consorcio Azucarero del Caribe’s executives left for Mexico supposedly for the Christmas holidays and have not returned. The State Sugar Council (CEA) says that the Mexican company has not made the investments needed to repair the mills, as the contract between Conazucar and the Dominican state establishes. Conazucar says it has records that state it has made the investments. But the truth of the matter is that at present, there is only time, if repairs are made immediately, for two of the consortium’s five sugar mills, Consuelo and Boca Chica to mill sugar cane by the March deadline. The other mills, Ozama, Haina and Quisqueya will not be able to operate because of the condition of abandon in which they are at present. Victor Manuel Baez, director of the CEA says that the Mexicans owe US$6.3 million in rent money to the state for the mills. He said they are waiting for the contractual terms to expire to act. Baez said there are other companies interested in taking over the operations if Conazucar abandons the project.
