Present imperfect, future tense for Hampden Estate

Mark Titus, Gleaner Writer

WESTERN BUREAU:Life has not been the same for communities in the sugar belt of Hampden Estate in Trelawny since the mills of the factory stopped producing sugar almost a decade ago.

In fact, only a few members of the communities are now on the books of the historic facility, which was acquired in 2009 by Everglades Farms Limited from the Government, along with Long Pond Estates in Clarks Town.

"Nothing is happening for this area since the factory scaled back its operations. A few persons are involved in the planting of sugar cane, but the economic life of the area seems to have died with the factory," said Ruddy Grant, a Deeside resident, group leader and a representative for truckers operating on the estate.

"Only persons working in the rum distillery, or those planting cane, are employed on the property, but in terms of the large number of people who used to be employed when sugar was being made here, that is a thing of the past."

Hampden Estate is close to 300 years old and is the only distillery in Jamaica that specialises exclusively in the making of heavy-pot still rums. It exports between 400,000 and 500,000 litres of absolute alcohol annually to Europe, and a portion to South Africa.

Grant's community is among a number of districts in the area that the Hampden's operation was the chief source of income. Others include Dumfries, Wakefield, Drommily, Bounty Hall, Bunkers Hill, Green Park, and even districts on the eastern side of St James, during the heyday of sugar production in western Jamaica.

GREATER CONCERN

Jonathan Bartley, councillor for the Wakefield division in Trelawny, believes there should be even greater concern for residents of Hampden Land and Cargill, located at the northern end of the estate. He was quick to point out that Everglades Farms have spent millions on community projects.

"It is a fact that the residents were totally dependent on the estate. These people know nothing more than sugar. They have never worked anywhere else, so it is difficult for them to fit in elsewhere," Bartley said.

"Crime is now on the increase with some persons said to be involved in the lottery scam, plus there has been a few incidents of shooting."

When Western Focus visited the facility on Monday, there was little activity taking place, remnants of the factory and the barracks as well as other unoccupied buildings could be spotted among overgrown bushes.

Everglades Farm's communications department did not respond to a request for information. However, it is understood that the company's concentration is on the Rum Fire brand, and developing the great house as a tourist attraction.

In the past 20 years, production hit a steady decline, resulting in hundreds of workers being sent home.

During the 2000-2001 crop, the factory produced a mere 5,000 tonnes of sugar, a far cry from its capacity of 15,000 tonnes, or even the 12,000 tonnes it churned in 1997.

"Those were the days when we could put our pots on fire because we were certain of a little business from the factory workers," recalls former grocery shop owner Maizie Deans, who now sells at the gate of one of the schools in the community.

"We had to be getting more stock to sell every other day in other to satisfy demand. But those days are gone."

Ruddy Grant, resident of Deeside in Trelawny and representative for the local cane truckers.