The headless general.
Secretary General Judith Kyst from Fairtrade / Max Havelaar, “… will put her head on the block” that it is the poor tea-workers who have control over the extra money that Danish consumers pay when they buy a bag of Fairtrade labelled tea.
It is indeed tragic that a woman in her best age, are trying to behead herself.
However, I would make an attempt to explain why it went so wrong.
First, it does not help the (bad) conscience to repeat – in the infinite – that the alleged improvements to the many poor tea-workers are “… a long process” and that, “…the recent inspections will mean that there will be found deficiencies. ”
Fairtrade has been present in Sri Lanka’s tea-plantations since 1994. It would therefore be reasonable to expect that conditions over so long a period would be visibly. But the workers still use pesticides totally irresponsible and contrary to national and international recommendations. The overwhelming majority of workers still live under such poor housing conditions that include stomach worm and tuberculosis that it is over-represented compared to the surrounding community. More than half of all women are chronically malnourished and infant mortality is higher in tea-plantations than elsewhere in Sri Lanka.
Yes, Judith Kyst, Fairtrade still has a number of “defects” to be rectified.
Secondly, Judith Kyst announces an erroneous view of the very reason why up to one million Tamil tea workers and their families is maintained in a slave-like lives. There is “… very long way to go when you know the caste system.” What kind of nonsense. There are no caste problems in the Sri Lankan tea-plantations.
The real reason is a feudal, post-colonial structure – today owned and managed by multinational companies and local conglomerates.
These deep social ethnic and health issues is something that Fairtrade can not change no matter how many times Judith Kyst has assured consumers that it would be worse if they were not present.
But instead of supporting the new small cooperatives where individual workers can benefit from the huge profits that are at tea, Fairtrade has therefore chosen to work with those companies that maintain the inhumane system.
After the broadcast, “The Bitter Taste of Tea” in the autumn of 2008, Judith Kyst promised – similar to both the Norwegian and Swedish sister organization – that Fairtrade would undertake “… a wide range of initiatives” to improve their 15-year presence in plantations.
And here – six months after – the promises disappear as a hot air balloon:
According to Judith Kyst, there have not been conducted one single unannounced inspection: “It is difficult to get plantations to pay for more controls,” explains Judith Kyst.
However, Fairtrade Denmark will “…address the matter” at the up-coming board meeting of Fairtrade’s own body, the FLO-Cert (living under the same roof, as they have to check).
“So we take it seriously,” replied Judith Kyst.
Perhaps Judith Kyst and the entire Fairtrade group – with more than 100 consultants – should take a serious trip into the tea-fields, where “… the decisive battle is,” as she puts it.
While writing these lines, there is a five-month long strike in progress on one of Fairtrade estates in Sri Lanka. The 96 workers will not stand for losing the statutory social rights, which shall enter into force after three months of recruitment, but leadership don’t give a damn about the rules and fired people days before the three months have elapsed. Where is Fairtrade?
In another Fairtrade estate, the manager has reduced the work to only 18 to 20 days a month. This is contrary to the Agreement in the field – and daily paid tea workers are deeply frustrated. The fact is – according to my information – referred to the local labour authorities.
Where is Fairtrade?
After 15 years of presence in the tea-plantations in Sri Lanka, and after equally long time to have guaranteed better conditions Fairtrade / Max Havelaar have a huge explanation problem – whether Judith Kyst puts her “…head on the block” or not.
