The main union representing sugar workers in Guyana, the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU) has sounded the alarm over the below target sugar production.
As of October 26, 2024, the Guyana Sugar Corporation had only produced 24,711 tonnes of sugar of the 63,276 tonnes set as the target for this year. The sugar produced so far for the year represents only 39% of the year’s production target.
In expressing concern about the low sugar production, GAWU noted that as much as 60 per cent of the cropping period has been exhausted, and the union is apprehensive that the deficit cannot be closed in the remaining cropping weeks.
GAWU said the industry’s “sad situation” cannot be delinked from the management of its cultivation and agricultural operations.
GAWU reminded that before the commencement of the current crop, it drew GuySuCo’s attention to several important issues that required intervention, but its concerns were brushed aside.
The union said while it has expressed concern about the production rate and trajectory, it seems that those charged with agricultural management in the industry have turned a blind eye to the concerns.
According to GAWU, given the conducive weather at this time to mechanised sugar operations, it is puzzled that daily production levels remained constrained, and wants to to know what may still be affecting sugar production.
It was noted that while the industry’s cane yields have been higher than anticipated, though well below their potential, the sucrose content remains depressed.
The union said it is conscious that the El Nino drought conditions would have had an impact. However, given the collective managerial experience in GuySuCo, better planning could have been advanced to mitigate some of the challenges.
“It appears that rather than addressing their difficulties in a complete and frank manner; the GuySuCo agricultural leadership is preparing to deploy rationales and justifications to obfuscate to excuse their poor performance. We are sure that we will hear about issues related to punt weights, standards, and work attendance in the coming days, among other things. Of course, those who have followed the industry would know that these are certainly not new excuses but are the same old scapegoats – the workers and the weather – that will be deployed to grant coverage for the eventual output”, GAWU noted.
The union said it remains convinced that the sugar industry can succeed, but knowledgeable and capable management is an essential prerequisite. GAWU said it is urging policymakers to consider ridding the industry of those who have anointed themselves as the ‘saviour’ but have placed it in a stranglehold and seek to blame everyone and everything but themselves for the circumstances in which the GuySuCo finds itself.
Private sector executive, Paul Cheong appointed CEO of GuySuCo in May. He replaced accountant, Sasenarine Singh, who is now Guyana’s Ambassador to Brussels.
The company has received billions of dollars in support from the Government.
You must be logged in to post a comment Login