Cane truck caravan to mark Amfac’s end

[

SRC=”/kauai/graphlib.nsf/ByDocID/0C36394EE86051190A256999007E69EB/$file/canemap.

gif” WIDTH=576 HEIGHT=474 ALT=”” BORDER=0>]\Jeff Ashmore, the final

plantation manager for Lihu’e Plantation and Kekaha Sugar, has given employees

time to wash their company vehicles before tomorrow’s “bittersweet” final

caravan of canehaul trucks and other equipment on Amfac Sugar Kauai’s last day

of operations.

Ashmore, president of Amfac Agribusiness, the umbrella

company for Amfac Sugar Kaua’i, had banned the washing of company vehicles as a

waste of time, money and resources during the company’s unsuccessful attempt to

stay in sugar and make a profit.

The “Grand Convoy,” as tomorrow’s caravan

is being called, is scheduled to begin at around 2 p.m. on the last scheduled

day of work for most of the 400 Amfac Sugar Kaua’i employees.

The

procession will run from the Isenberg Tract subdivision, along Kuhio Highway

from Lihu’e through Hanama’ulu, then the length of Kapule Highway from

Hanama’ulu to Rice Street, then onto Kuhio Highway again and ending at the

Isenberg Tract subdivision.

A last weighing of a canehaul truck fully

loaded with cane is anticipated earlier that day.

The convoy, which will

include about 30 vehicles, was an idea workers conceived as a show of pride for

the company’s nearly 150 years of business on Kaua’i.

Organizers of the

caravan are encouraging viewing from Kapule Highway or on the Historic County

Building lawn along Rice Street in Lihu’e.

Amfac, the state Department of

Transportation, and Kaua’i County’s roads and police officials are managing the

event in an effort minimize the impact to the public.

“We know there will

be some disruption to traffic flow, but we want to support the workers as they

enjoy a bittersweet moment on their final day with Amfac,” said Mayor Maryanne

Kusaka.

Additional information is available from Howard Ramos of Amfac

Sugar Kaua’i at 639-1959 or Beth Tokioka, county spokeswoman, at 241-6303.

Staff Writer Paul C. Curtis can be reached at pcurtis@pulitzer.net or

245-3681 (ext. 224).