Long Pond Estates provides lifeline for Trelawny communities

Mark Titus, Gleaner Writer

WESTERN BUREAU:

With most of them depending on the Long Pond sugar factory as a source of employment, the residents of Clarks Town, Trelawny, are pleased with the decision of the Hussey family-owned Everglades Farms to invest more in the facility.

Once home to more than 10 factories during the post-Emancipation period, Clarks Town is now a shadow of what it used to be.

Residents such as 26-year-old Dianne Thomas believe the commitment shown by the new owners augers well for the community.

"Although the rates are not impressive, it provides a means of employment for those in the town area not working," she told Western Focus on Wednesday.

"Many depend on the industry to survive, so it is a good thing that we still have production going on … . There would have been a high rate of unemployment if the factory was not operating."

REFURBISHING, EXPANDING

Everglades Farms acquired Long Pond Estates in a divestment package, which included the Hampden Estates in 2009, and pumped more than US$6 million (J$515 million) into its initial refurbishing exercise. Long Pond sat out the following crop year so additional work could be carried out.

Now in expansion mode, and with some 90 per cent of its workforce coming from the immediate sugar belt, public relations manager at Everglades Farms, Christopher Hylton, said his company is committed to the development of Clarks Town.

"Our vision is for the economic good of the Clarks Town community," he told Western Focus.

"Long Pond has been the backbone of the economy for many years, and as the crop intensifies, more can be expected."

According to Hylton, Everglades Farms has adopted several institutions in the area through the Christelle Harris Foundation, including the Cedric Titus High School and the St Michael's Basic School.

He added that Everglades Farms' business plan goes beyond sugar production and tourism is set to be a major part of its vision, which will include a sugar cane museum and tours of the great houses and sugar cane mills now being refurbished.