By spence

July 5, 2007 4:36 PM | Link to this

If you were around in the sixties and took a right from HWY 27 onto Hwy 80 going to Belle Glade on the right after two bridges you would come upon six buildings about the size of four outhouses. There lived the Jamican cane cutters. They used machettes to cut cane back then. There would be about 50 people living in these ramshakel huts with no runnung water, electric, nor outhouses.They would hang around and drink beer after a days work and then pile into these shelters till morning when the buses came to pick them up to work the cane fields. Thats where they made their money. They also get a set price for their cane and if they donnot sell all their cane the government buys it from them. When they need water for the fields these jerks just tap into Lake O. no mater how low the water table is or even during the hight of tourist season where I have seen the water drop so low that you couldn’t even get out into the lake proper to fish, yet they just kept filling their canals for their cane. Rich jerks that built their wealth on the backs of slaves.

By me

June 26, 2007 5:06 PM | Link to this

THANKS NICK!! That crap about the pesticides was started earlier in these posts by someone else. It made me laugh out loud at how uninformed people seem to be. The article that the first person referenced which the PB Post ran several months ago was about vegetable field workers in Immokalee for goodness sake!! Not to mention every other point you made.

By Joe

June 25, 2007 1:38 PM | Link to this

Well like they say Cubans are all about “ME” and how Everyone is jealous of the CUBANS. Please!!!

By b

June 25, 2007 1:34 PM | Link to this

Who are the “Fanjul”?

By Jose Gonzalez

June 25, 2007 11:33 AM | Link to this

The Fanjuls may not believe in the First Amendment to begin with as mucha s the other “politicos” in Miami. What do they fear? History will tell us.

By Juan C. Hugo

June 25, 2007 10:21 AM | Link to this

Do not trust CBS or any other network. As long as they can get a good program, they would not care who they hurt. Then it takes years to settle any demand. Throw the first punch, it is safer.

By John

June 25, 2007 10:02 AM | Link to this

I worked for this family and in my time of need they were there for me. I would still be working for them if I had not moved out of state. I hate to see their name used so hatefully. Yes they might have fought the union but that is normal. What person wants a group of people telling them how to run their business? I bet if you researched how their operations are truely run you would find that they are run better then most other operations of their nature. People should just mind their own business.

By boca cyclist

June 25, 2007 9:22 AM | Link to this

These people are scumbag robberbarons they exploit illegals and have them work on their farms for like 2 dollars an hour. i’d be scared too if I was them. If they don’t like america’s free speech policy they should get their asses back to havana. What do u they think they own the TV stations too????

By Nick

June 25, 2007 8:28 AM | Link to this

To union-man: Of course the fanjuls fought the union for 13 years, have you ever heard of a company that didn’t want to fight against unionization, it’s bad for the bottom line, and economically speaking it’s bad for the economy as a whole because it keeps other people from working. Here’s another thing for you to put in your pipe and smoke, no pesticides used in sugarcane are teratogenic, most of them are fairly safe as far as pesticides go, on top of that there are hardly any women working in the fields on a daily basis, as a matter of fact there were none in the division I worked in, and only a few on the planting crews that were contracted. Besides that when you are talking about a population of people such as immigrant laborers you will never be able to seperate out the effects of poor nutrition like a lack of folic acid for example from possible pesticide contamination. I hate it when people get on here and talk about things that they have no idea about.

By crazy cuban

June 25, 2007 8:12 AM | Link to this

ASHayin- What the hell is a stereotypical “off-the-boat” cuban. Mariconson

By Union Man

June 25, 2007 2:49 AM | Link to this

Those who post comments about one of the Fanjuul-owned fields being “UNION” is obviously a company shill. The Fanjuls fought the union for 13 years, refusing to allow democracy in their workplace. The Fanjuls are total abusers, infecting humans that work for them with all sorts of poisons from pesticides, and when the women have deformed kids those families are SENT HOME, so the media can’t get to them. Ask the Fanjuls to provide records and photos of all the deformed kids born to their workers. Then yap about how wonderful they are - THEY ARE ROBBER BARON CROOKED THIEVES.

By AshayinFLA

June 25, 2007 12:56 AM | Link to this

One more thing… (the rest of my “story” below this)

IF anybody has a problem with all the money the Fanjul’s get to help them with their company, they should write to their congressmen, since all the money is granted for these purposes. Its not like the Fanjul’s stole the checks from the poor to line their pockets!!! It is OUR GOVERNMENT that offers these grants to companies like Florida Sugar, etc… — AshayinFLA

By AshayinFLA

June 25, 2007 12:49 AM | Link to this

I didn’t read ALL of these comments, particularly because many of them are making me sick!

I don’t know the Fanjul’s personally, but a friend’s father works for them, and my fiancee had a few run-ins with family members and told me of her experiences. First off, Castro TOOK POWER OF CUBA BY FORCE AND TRICKERY (with the help of the US government) and had anybody killed who seemed even remotely a threat to him. The Fanjul’s simply came to America like most of our forefathers to escape a bad situation in their home country, and opened a company like anybody else could have done. The government gives them help because they are helping the economy as a whole, and other large corporations get similar help — BECAUSE THEY ARE HELPING THE ECONOMY (hey — the economy includes you, me, and our kids!!! as for the comment about the child born without limbs, she wasn’t even working in Fanjul’s fields, she was working in tomato fields of SW Florida!!! ) The billions of dollars are going back into the business and paying ALL OF THEIR EMPLOYEES fairly, and it is also going to help other families in the area in need (after hurricanes, etc…) The current executives are the KIDS of the people who started the company, and obviously the company is thriving, so they are not doing things corrupt (like alot of other businesses in Miami — in other words, this is not the stereotipical “off-the-boat” cubans that some people might think of — look at the local governments in miami its a whole different story!!) The exec’s of the company are living large (like they should) but they do not flaunt it like some other people do. You don’t hear about them getting into trouble, and you don’t see them in expensive cars every weekend buying high dollar items at City Place. They lay low and do their own thing. They appear to be very friendly people who don’t hold their nose high and they are simply worried about what thisTV show (no its not a movie like someone referred to it as) will do to their reputation. I would be too if I were them. — AshayinFLA

By Nick

June 24, 2007 9:48 PM | Link to this

Ok, I am not gonna let this continue without my input. I am a former Florida Crystals Employee. I left on good terms. They are one of the best companies to work for and I will tell you why, the benefits. I see so many people talk about how the jobs are like slave labor. That is nonsense. Okeelanta in South Bay is under a Union contract. The guys running equipment over there get paid good money and guess what they have health, dental and vision. And it’s not just the managers, I’m talking about the tractor drivers. I worked for a different division of Florida Crystals as a farm supervisor and the people driving tractors were paid paid between 7.50 to 10.85/hr. That may not sound too good but you have to realize that they would work 60-70 hours week. So these guys were taking home during a good week $800. As a supervisor there were weeks when my employees made more than me. And you never hear about the New Hope charities and all the great work that they do. And environmentally Florida Crystals does all that they can do to limit their environmental impact. And guess what, they were even there to give employees money to fix damage to there homes after Wilma. Florida Crystals is a company that cares about its employees and its community, unfortunately it cannot take responsibility for the utter laziness that many people in the glades have.

By rob sequin

June 24, 2007 8:23 PM | Link to this

Let the lawsuits begin! The writers should write lots of lawyers and politicians into the show.

Sue, sue, sue!

By Vito Corleone

June 24, 2007 6:47 PM | Link to this

Now that cuban americans have “made it” and are successful in the american mainstream, they get a TV show with ethnic characters. Consider it a compliment. After all, italians have been rightly and wrongly portrayed in dramas as gangsters, etc for years, and by other italians (Scorcese, Coppola, etc). Where there’s smoke there’s fire, even in those cane fields.

By "general counsel"

June 24, 2007 6:31 PM | Link to this

hey “crazy cuban” the funjuls obviously never got off their “**” and fought against castro. if they did, they would still be running their operation in cuba, and they wouldn’t have RAN AWAY here to plam beach (with their money-bags in hand). hey new yorker who is new to the area, you are right….”our tax money” sustains the lifestyle that the fanjuls have helped create in the glades. yes. it is not the fanjuls responsability to hold all those peoples hands, live, but it is pretty arogant for anyone to say they have achieved the american dream through “hard work.” drive out southern blvd to belle glade, make a left on north main, head south to west ave “A” and make a right. enjoy. by the way….is “hard work” running from the communists, and not staying to defend your sacred home that you believe in. if castro didn’t have the popular support, he would have never made it to power. he obviously won becasue the poor people, and young people were sick of families like the fanjuls who still want to live in a serf-king lifestyle like they have in spain. they brought over migrants who wanted to give their “left nut” so those same migrants would not topple their own goverments back home in the carribean.

By Betty

June 24, 2007 5:39 PM | Link to this

It’s too bad that no one mentions the charitable work the Fanjul’s have done in Pahokee. The have a family center that includes a day care center after school program, food program and new medical clinic. Also they have started two charter schools in belle glade.
They are caring generous people.

By Crazy Cuban

June 24, 2007 5:37 PM | Link to this

Thousands of SF residents made a good living working for the Fanjuls and their companies, with good pay, good benefits etc… If one compares the employees of the Sugar mills, with the employees of, lets say, a company like Walmart, you will probably conclude that the Sugar employees, as a whole, get better pay and benefits. The cane workers from Jamaica used to give their left nut to come here every year because of better pay and living conditions than they had in their home country. It is not the Fanjul’s responsibility to fix the poverty in the Glades area. Those people will never get out of proverty because of issues within their culture.

I dont know the Fanjuls, but it seems they built their company through hard work using American laws and politics to their advantage. Good for them ! As for the old man leaving his wife for a twenty something, more power to him. If I had all that money I would be tagging a young hottie too. Lets face it, you people dont really like them because they are Cubans who came here with very little and wisely acquired a bunch of land cheap, and with hard work built a huge business in your back yard. Get off the internet and your a*s and start figuring out how you will make your millions. You bums.

By ESKINNE

June 24, 2007 2:44 PM | Link to this

I have never forgotten the picture of the baby born without arms and legs, Mother exposed to cane pesticides. What comes around, who knows…….that was a burden I could never carry in my heart.

By SirPercy

June 24, 2007 2:17 PM | Link to this

Question for Parker: What is the PROPORTION of help they give to ‘farming communities’ compared to the HELP THEY GET from ‘tax breaks, funding the purchase of land, to outright giving them land, loans that don’t need to be repaid, presidential access?

Are you suggesting it’s even? don’t make me laugh. The rich and powerful throwing a few breadcrumbs to the poor who pave their way DOES NOT a humanitarian make.

By Angel

June 24, 2007 2:14 PM | Link to this

Does anyone really care? It’s a fictional tv show.

By Pat

June 24, 2007 2:14 PM | Link to this

The Fanjuls are upset? Wow, my heart bleeds. They camout of Cuba with illicit Batisa money and have taken advantage of the bleeding heart politicians in this couuntry who have bowed to their every whim. They’ve stolen from the people here the same way they stole from the people in Cuba before they ran away. They’d be nothing without government subsides and the minimum wage labor of the people of western PBC. At least one of them never even became a US citizen which shows how much this Cuban cares about the country he ran to. I only hope this movie is honest and wakes up America to these leeches.

By Baron

June 24, 2007 2:13 PM | Link to this

The Fanjul family thinks they still live in Batista’s Cuba and can control the media. The Fanjuls are dirt, no mention in this article of grandaddy Fanjul who dumped granma and is seen around town with his new girlfriend in her early 20’s. These theives got over $650,000 in direct cash from taxpayers in 2005 and more in 2006. All to provide poverty jobs in slave conditions to illegal immigrants. The “Good reputation of the Fanjuls family”? That’s the real fantasy. I’ve lived here since 1960 and those creeps never had a good reputation, they are known as cheats, liars,drug addicts and social jerks. Perhaps this TV show will encourage them to move somewhere else.

By PBC Resident

June 24, 2007 1:48 PM | Link to this

Regarding Cuba becoming an American territory. It will happen.

Once Castro expires, we will stage massive rallies in Cuba. It will appear that the Cuban people are demanding change. That they want liberty. Our American government will then proclaim how we should “help” these “poor” Cubanos. It will appear like we are just sending food, supplies, and crowd control. Next thing you know, Cuba is under “democratic” rule which is pro-American.

There are hundreds of American corporations with claims to Cuban property and land. Before the Castro revolution, 65% of privately owned land in Cuba was owned by American corporations. The Fanjul’s and barcardi will get their land back. American casinos will get their land back and build anew.

It’s coming. History shows it with Puerto Rico, Hawaii, Guam, Virgin Islands, Somaon, etc….

By Denise

June 24, 2007 1:45 PM | Link to this

Hopefully CBS will use this series to encourage the American Public to think about serious but hidden political and economic issues. The fifty year old blocade of Cuba, Sugar subsidies and their effects on the importation of third world sugar and the continued colapse of WTO trade talks; polution and the push for westward migration, and the production of sugar ethanal and its lack of importation from Brazil. These and other serious issues need to be brought forward in the public eye. Hollywood is great at pushing for political change. If this series for`ces the Fanjul family to become more introspective than the more power to it.

By Bill

June 24, 2007 1:28 PM | Link to this

Somewhat new to the area, so I am not all that up on the Fanjul’s. However I want to address a few of the comments being made because they are wrong.

I pay taxes to the government so they can improve socialized aspects such as education. Why would anyone feel it is a wealthy families job to improve the school system?

Next is the post about Cuba becoming an American territory. Not so fast on this one. It’s a bit arrogant to assume that when Fidel and his brother are gone we will control Cuba. It is still a country of citizens who had pride and will want to control their own destiny if at all possible. We have bigger issues to deal with like getting out of Iraq!

As a New Yorker I will leave with this. We have a guy named Trump who probably doesn’t have as much as the Fanjul’s. Yet he does everything he can to promote himself and be a celebrity. At least this family is not rubbing their wealth in your face. Be happy for that.

By Ray

June 24, 2007 12:16 PM | Link to this

Perhaps it’s time for some light to be shed on the underside on the american dream. An episode or two shot out in Belle Glade perhaps? Perhaps is they pissed a little of their money back into the community they’d be seen in a lttle better light.

By Ray

June 24, 2007 12:16 PM | Link to this

Perhaps it’s time for some light to be shed on the underside on the american dream. An episode or two shot out in Belle Glade perhaps? Perhaps is they pissed a little of their money back into the community they’d be seen in a lttle better light.

By TruthorConsequences

June 24, 2007 11:41 AM | Link to this

How arrogant to think that the whole world revolves around them. Of course the fact that they use huge sums of money trying to control politics in Florida is not something they should be proud of. So of course they want it kept secret. This is the USA guys….no secrets…what goes around comes around. If you haven’t done anything wrong be proud. Otherwise behave yourselves.

By PBC Resident

June 24, 2007 11:34 AM | Link to this

The Fanjul’s should be worried. They are an example of the absurd subsidizing we do. The Fanjul’s OWE the AMERICAN tax payer for their wealth.

From giving them tax breaks, to funding the purchase of land, to outright giving them land, Loans that don’t need to be repaid, Presidential access etc…etc…etc…..We even PAY DOUBLE for sugar because of tarrifs on imports. All so we can stick it to Castro.

…and just wait until we make Cuba an American Territory. A Fanjul will be made governer of Cuba, and we the American Taxpayer will pay for that too.

By joanie

June 24, 2007 11:28 AM | Link to this

TO PARKER: If the Fanjul’s are so philonthropic to western Palm Beach than why is the poverty and academic poor performance so out of proportion to the rest of Floida? Notice I did not compare the area to East Palm Beach because that is where the Fanjul’s live and party.

By "general counsel"

June 24, 2007 11:15 AM | Link to this

will they actually film any of the fictional “duque family” standing on any single one of the trash infested run-down streets in either belle glade, pahokee, or south bay? I guess it is cheaper if they just use the same set as “blackhawk down.” fanjuls…..american dream????

By Parker

June 24, 2007 11:01 AM | Link to this

First, MikeG, they are not a monopoly. The U.S. sugar industry includes sugar grown from cane in South Florida, as well as Louisiana and Hawaii. In addition, the midwest has a thriving sugar beet industry. The end result from both of these plants in the table sugar you buy at the grocery store. That is not even mentioning the amount of sugar imported from the world market, which by law, the U.S. is required to do. Second, when you are talking about polluting the Everglades, I’d suggest you start with your own lawn and the hundreds of golf courses in South Florida. The run-off from the ever-encroaching devevelopment west of Ft. Lauderdale is doing wonders for the environment, I’m sure. Third, joanie, the Fanjuls give back to the farming communities in Western Palm Beach County more so than is usually reported. Everyone likes to jump on successful people because they are wealthy, but rarely do your hear about the good that they do in the community, aside from providing work for hundreds in the Glades. If you took a survey of the residents of Palm Beach and eastern Palm Beach County, I doubt you will find many who know about the struggles faced by the residents of towns like Belle Glade, Pahokee, and South Bay…and you’ll find even fewer who contribute their time and/or money to helping their neighbors to the west.

By joanie

June 24, 2007 10:15 AM | Link to this

Why would anyone care about the lives of the Fanjul’s? Have they given back to the community? Have they shared their wealth with the poor who have worked their fields?

By MikeG

June 24, 2007 10:09 AM | Link to this

They are probably worried there will episodes about how the sugar industry pollutes the enviroment and the Everglades and how they are a monopoly protected by government sudsidies.

By MikeG

June 24, 2007 10:09 AM | Link to this

They are probably worried there will episodes about how the sugar industry pollutes the enviroment and the Everglades and how they are a monopoly protected by government sudsidies.