SEGMENTS (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended				6 Months Ended
	Feb. 28, 2015 Country		Feb. 28, 2014		Feb. 28, 2015 Country		Feb. 28, 2014		Aug. 31, 2014
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Number of countries and territories	13				13
Segment Reporting Information
Revenue from external customers	$ 750,296		$ 674,374		$ 1,406,317		$ 1,279,975
Intersegment revenues	0		0		0		0
Depreciation and amortization	8,636		7,139		16,433		13,793
Operating income	41,708		39,375		77,993		71,734
Net income	24,835		28,278		45,482		49,710
Property, Plant and Equipment, Additions	14,250		39,808		43,870		58,096
Long-lived assets (other than deferred tax assets)	534,369		474,548		534,369		474,548		529,064
Goodwill	36,069		36,321		36,069		36,321		36,108
Identifiable assets	986,366		834,388		986,366		834,388		938,070
United States Operations
Segment Reporting Information
Revenue from external customers	6,235		6,764		14,666		12,485
Intersegment revenues	259,611		209,102		597,939		514,694
Depreciation and amortization	545		583		1,087		1,155
Operating income	7,811		5,904		15,714		12,853
Net income	3,619		2,451		6,981		5,517
Property, Plant and Equipment, Additions	1,332		3,565		(1,441)	[1]	3,139
Long-lived assets (other than deferred tax assets)	14,045		13,152		14,045		13,152		16,584
Goodwill	0		0		0		0		0
Identifiable assets	62,021		57,377		62,021		57,377		91,175
Central American Operations
Segment Reporting Information
Revenue from external customers	426,226		403,087		809,390		762,622
Intersegment revenues	0		0		0		0
Depreciation and amortization	3,698		3,279		7,342		6,107
Operating income	37,122		34,076		68,254		61,163
Net income	28,846		28,919		53,174		50,810
Property, Plant and Equipment, Additions	8,425		9,269		23,231		22,922
Long-lived assets (other than deferred tax assets)	284,661		258,018		284,661		258,018		268,046
Goodwill	31,381		31,530		31,381		31,530		31,383
Identifiable assets	492,395		436,324		492,395		436,324		457,395
Caribbean Operations
Segment Reporting Information
Revenue from external customers	220,225		212,366		418,616		404,426
Intersegment revenues	1,507		1,143		2,890		2,619
Depreciation and amortization	2,451		2,264		4,739		4,483
Operating income	13,408		12,939		25,577		22,397
Net income	11,579		11,040		21,833		19,340
Property, Plant and Equipment, Additions	1,666		1,710		4,862		5,663
Long-lived assets (other than deferred tax assets)	112,877		115,316		112,877		115,316		113,134
Goodwill	4,688		4,791		4,688		4,791		4,725
Identifiable assets	241,096		218,513		241,096		218,513		223,251
Colombia Operations [Member]
Segment Reporting Information
Revenue from external customers	97,610		52,157		163,645		100,442
Intersegment revenues	0		0		0		0
Depreciation and amortization	1,942		1,013		3,265		2,048
Operating income	(844)		1,973		(1,781)		3,473
Net income	(3,420)		1,385		(6,735)		2,195
Property, Plant and Equipment, Additions	2,827		25,264		17,218		26,372
Long-lived assets (other than deferred tax assets)	122,786		88,062		122,786		88,062		131,300
Goodwill	0		0		0		0		0
Identifiable assets	190,854		122,174		190,854		122,174		166,249
Reconciling Items
Segment Reporting Information
Revenue from external customers			0	[2]			0
Intersegment revenues	(261,118)	[2]	(210,245)	[2]	(600,829)	[2]	(517,313)	[2]
Depreciation and amortization			0	[2]
Operating income	(15,789)	[2]	(15,517)	[2]	(29,771)	[2]	(28,152)
Net income	(15,789)	[2]	(15,517)	[2]	(29,771)	[2]	(28,152)
Property, Plant and Equipment, Additions			0	[2]
Long-lived assets (other than deferred tax assets)	0		0		0		0		0
Goodwill	0		0		0		0		0
Identifiable assets	0		0		0		0		0
Scenario, Previously Reported [Member]
Segment Reporting Information
Long-lived assets (other than deferred tax assets)			472,751				472,751		525,902
Identifiable assets			834,316				834,316		940,218
Scenario, Previously Reported [Member] | United States Operations
Segment Reporting Information
Long-lived assets (other than deferred tax assets)			13,087				13,087		16,488
Identifiable assets			57,377				57,377		91,190
Scenario, Previously Reported [Member] | Central American Operations
Segment Reporting Information
Long-lived assets (other than deferred tax assets)			257,053				257,053		265,950
Identifiable assets			436,252				436,252		457,325
Scenario, Previously Reported [Member] | Caribbean Operations
Segment Reporting Information
Long-lived assets (other than deferred tax assets)			115,316				115,316		113,134
Scenario, Previously Reported [Member] | Colombia Operations [Member]
Segment Reporting Information
Long-lived assets (other than deferred tax assets)	130,330		87,295		130,330		87,295
Identifiable assets	168,452		122,174		168,452		122,174
Scenario, Reclass [Member]
Segment Reporting Information
Long-lived assets (other than deferred tax assets)			1,797				1,797		3,162
Identifiable assets			72				72		(2,148)
Scenario, Reclass [Member] | United States Operations
Segment Reporting Information
Long-lived assets (other than deferred tax assets)			65				65		96
Identifiable assets			0				0		(15)
Scenario, Reclass [Member] | Central American Operations
Segment Reporting Information
Long-lived assets (other than deferred tax assets)			965				965		2,096
Identifiable assets			72				72		70
Scenario, Reclass [Member] | Caribbean Operations
Segment Reporting Information
Long-lived assets (other than deferred tax assets)			0				0		0
Identifiable assets			0				0		0
Scenario, Reclass [Member] | Colombia Operations [Member]
Segment Reporting Information
Long-lived assets (other than deferred tax assets)	970		767		970		767
Identifiable assets	(2,203)				(2,203)
Scenario, Actual [Member]
Segment Reporting Information
Long-lived assets (other than deferred tax assets)			474,548				474,548		529,064
Identifiable assets			834,388				834,388		938,070
Scenario, Actual [Member] | United States Operations
Segment Reporting Information
Long-lived assets (other than deferred tax assets)			13,152				13,152		16,584
Identifiable assets			57,377				57,377		91,175
Scenario, Actual [Member] | Central American Operations
Segment Reporting Information
Long-lived assets (other than deferred tax assets)			258,018				258,018		268,046
Identifiable assets			436,324				436,324		457,395
Scenario, Actual [Member] | Caribbean Operations
Segment Reporting Information
Long-lived assets (other than deferred tax assets)			115,316				115,316		113,134
Identifiable assets			218,513				218,513		223,251
Scenario, Actual [Member] | Colombia Operations [Member]
Segment Reporting Information
Long-lived assets (other than deferred tax assets)	131,300		88,062		131,300		88,062
Identifiable assets	$ 166,249		$ 122,174		$ 166,249		$ 122,174

[1] (2) The decrease in capital expenditures is a result of the transfers of capital assets from this segment to other segments.

[2] (1) The reconciling items reflect the amount eliminated on consolidation of intersegment transactions