The opposition People’s Progressive Party believes that the government may  be moving to shut down the Rose Hall and Enmore sugar estates and its a move that the Opposition would not support.

PPP Member of Parliament, Irfaan Ali, who led an Opposition delegation to meet the government on Guysuco issues, told members of the media today that the party wants workers to be vigilant since it is against any move that would see the closure of the two estates. 

Last Friday, the Government indicated that the Opposition People’s Progressive Party (PPP) has failed to submit its proposals for a decision to be made on the future of the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) and the sugar industry, even though Government had sought to engage them and other stakeholders, with consultations starting since late last year.

However, Opposition Member of Parliament, Dharamkumar Seeraj said that Minister Dominic Gaskin at the meeting informed the delegation that if they needed a study to be done, they will have to do it themselves and that they will not do any study.

Before any option or recommendation is presented on the table as it relates to the future of the industry, the Opposition feels there must be a Social Impact Economic study and an Economic feasibility study. Ali added that without the two reports there is no foundation to move forward.

Ali is arguing that the studies can take a minimum of three months to be completed and the Government should undertake those.

But according to the Government it provided all documents, which were requested by the Unions and Opposition including the Memorandum of Understanding signed between GoInvest and D. Rampersaud and Company Limited (DRCL), GuySuCo’s Business Plan for the period 2017- 2025, Cost of Production for 2010-2025, Head Office component of Cost of Production 2010- 2025, Breakdown of Government Support requirement for years 2017-2025, List of Capital items by year and cost, Projected can yields and tonnes, Projected tillage and replanting by estates, Financial projections and GuySuCo Annual Reports, among others.

And, it was based on these documents that the Unions were in a position to present their proposals.

GAWU indicated that it was constrained by the lack of a socio-economic study but it still submitted its proposal to the Government.

Minister Khemraj Ramjattan who sits on the Government Committee address the sugar industry concerns has assured that the document will be taken to Cabinet for examination and deliberation.

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