CHINANDEGA, Nicaragua - The people crammed into the stifling basketball gym. They filled the court, lined the walls and tumbled beyond the doors onto the sun-blistered streets.

They had gathered to hear a promise of justice.

Many had spent their lives toiling on banana plantations that U.S. companies operated in this region some 30 years ago. By day, the workers had harvested bunches of fruit to ship to North American tables. At night, some had sprayed pesticide into the warm, humid air to protect the trees from insects and rot...  

As The Sun's article on Firestone's rubber plantation in Liberia notes, the tire company has been the target of a worldwide campaign and lawsuit because of its 80 years of exploitation of Liberia ("Fragile Liberia struggles to protect a crucial industry," May 20).

The Firestone plantation has been characterized by child labor and widespread abuses of workers' rights, and a report from the Liberian government recently confirmed that the company dumps toxic chemicals into local rivers.

Roses for North America are largely grown in Colombia, Latin America's largest flower exporter. Some farms are certified as being environmentally sound and having good labour practices. Most are not. (Fernando Vergara/Associated Press)

We love to "say it with flowers," as the slogan goes from florists around the world. In fact, there's a veritable cacophony of bouquets changing hands out there. Canadians, Americans, Europeans and others are giving each other roses, carnations and chrysanthemums — the big three of cut flowers — like never before... 

Farmworkers talk with Victor Contreras of Centro Campesino during conference.