Dear Editor,
While it is good news for GuySuCo that .4 billion has been received from the EU’s Accompanying Measures Programme, which will be utilised under the Action Programme, the average sugar worker is yet to understand how these monies are being spent in ways which will propel the Corporation on the road to profitability.
Sugar workers are always bombarded with the bad news so as to keep their demands for wage increase in check. Losses and debts have now been ingrained in the psyche of these workers who are stupefied by the huge sums of bailouts from this and the previous Government and the huge sums received from the EU. In order for these workers to fully appreciate the dilemma of the Corporation they need information and this is where the communication is lacking. I have spoken with many of them and they do not have a clue as to how these monies are being spent. What improvements have been made that have impacted on the production capacity and productivity of the Corporation? These must be quantified to let the workers know specifically where the Corporation is heading. Sugar workers have been toiling harder than ever before, yet they have been receiving lesser and lesser each year. Yet they are repeatedly told about increasing losses and indebtedness, and their sufferings continue.
It must be recalled that the Corporation achieved an unprecedented target going back to 11 years. It achieved 231,145 tonnes of sugar- exceeding the target by 3,702 tonnes! Despite this great achievement the, sugar workers got a measly three day pay as bonus and no increase in wages and salaries. They produced and perished! The CEO had said that this achievement came about mainly because of motivated management, workers’ efforts and non-interference from politicians of the Government. What he failed to mention is the fact that the Corporation was reaping the rewards of improvements done under the PPP/C Government. The bailout and the EU funds were well spent by that Government.
Moreover, with increased bailouts, a motivated management, no political interference and a new Board, the sugar production for the first crop has fallen by 30 per cent. The Corporation has only achieved 56,645 tons of the budgeted 80,269 tonnes – a massive decline of 23,624 tonnes. Many factors were suggested, ranging from the adverse El Nino conditions, delays in tillage, planting and crop husbandry operations; however, many of these factors, if not all are controllable and should have been addressed by a proactive Board and management. Are we to believe that the annual target was set at 241,000 tonnes without due consideration to these factors? Even in an El Nino situation, fields can be irrigated to alleviate the negative effects on the sugar canes. The decline of 12.25 tonnes of canes per hectare could have been lower if proper crop husbandry was done. What was the Chairman of the Board doing? What were the CEO and his management team doing?
Therefore, sugar workers must not be made scapegoats and be denied a wage increase. What has the Government Ministers done to warrant a salary increase of 50 per cent? Public servants are given a wage increase of 5 per cent last year and 10 per cent this year, while the sugar workers true wages have declined by 10 per cent from last year to now. How can efficiency and productivity be increased when the workers’ wages are declining and their standard of living is being eroded with each passing day? Will this motivate 17,000 workers to be committed to work? Will this boost their morale?
The Government must give some assistance to the sugar workers by even subsidising their electricity and water bills. This can lessen the impact of the current wage freeze situation which has no solution in sight. This is being done in Linden where an annual electricity subsidy of billion is being given by the Government. Sugar workers gave more than 0 billion as sugar levy from 1974 to 2003, yet today they are being treated most unfairly. This punitive measure resulted in the decline of the sugar industry or else today it would have been more competitive.
The 17,000 workers are the life blood of the industry and they must be assisted to stem their increased cost of living in order to resuscitate the industry and initiate its survival. Workers must not be penalised for the current state of GuySuCo!
Yours sincerely,
Haseef Yusuf
