Lake Region Economic Bloc (LREB) leaders address the press at the Grand Royal Hotel in Kisumu, November 9, 2017. [Photo|Anyang Nyong'o]Governors and county leaders from the Lake Region Economic Bloc (LREB) met and held a meeting at the Grand Royal Hotel in Kisumu, Thursday.The leaders made the following resolutions:1. Resolution reached on the crisis in the sugar industryThe governors and representatives of the governors at the meeting recognised the challenge facing sugar industry in the region, including but not limited to outstanding farmers arrears, outstanding salary arrears at the milling factories, cane availability and poaching factory inefficiencies, importation and its effect on sugar prices, tax burden and cane transportation infrastructure .The meeting agreed to institute a Rapid Response Initiative (RRI) to address key problem in the industry. The deliveries of the RRI are;i) Payment of arrears to farmers and staff at sugar factories.ii) Write off of taxes.iii) Addressing sustainable cane production.iv) Addressing importation of sugar.iiv) Achieving sustainable cane production. 2. Resolutions on the Lake Region Economic BlocThe governors and representatives resolved to present the legal framework for the LREB to their respective county assemblies for enactment into law by the end of the year 2017.
Leaders present during the meeting include: Kisumu Governor Prof Anyang' Nyong'o, Governor Cyprian Awiti from Homa Bay and Migori's Okoth Obado. Also present were deputy governors Ochieng Owili (Kisumu), Siaya's Ouko Okumbe, Kericho's Susan Kikwai, and Ruth Odinga, Abala Wanga and Bob Madanji from Nyong'o's office.Also present was former Kakamega senator Boni Khalwale.