By Kimone Witter
Managing Director of Trade Winds Citrus Limited Peter McConnell has reiterated that the company remains open to dialogue with stakeholders, including community members and environmental groups on their concerns following a call to boycott its products.
Members of stakeholder group, Friends of the Rio Cobre, announced Wednesday that it is calling for the public to boycott the company's products as part of renewed pressure to hold Trade Winds acountable for the December 2023 oil spill in the river.
There has been outrage since the National Environment and Planning Agency dropped criminal charges against Trade Winds Citrus in relation to the incident.
The government indicated that there was no fish kill, therefore an environmental impact assessment was not required.
In an interview with Radio Jamaica News, Mr. McConnell re-emphasised that there was no environmental damage to the Rio Cobre in St. Catherine during the incident last year.
He said it is disheartening to hear the disparaging remarks being expressed about him and the company he leads.
Mr. McConnell said a boycott of Trade Winds products could hurt the business. But he defended the company's offerings as "good quality" and "affordable" products, adding that "we will stand by our products and the consumers will decide".
The Jamaica Environment Trust (JET) has said it is not in support of the call to boycott products of Trade Winds Citrus Limited.
Dr. Theresa Rodriquez-Moodie, Chief Executive Officer of JET, said it is the right of residents to take the action they deem appropriate, but the focus on the company is misplaced as it is the legal and regulatory framework that requires systemic changes.
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