In December 2016, the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) and Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU) insisted that sugar remained too large in the economic and social footprints of Guyana that any decision to close or downsize must be made only after a technical study that provides clear guidelines on whether or not to and how to proceed. A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) arrogantly rejected that position. It even rejected a report of the Commission it had established to make recommendations on the way forward. The events of the past year and especially the recent announcements, first that the factories should have been kept open and, second, that two factories will reopen are visible proof that the demands for a technical study by the PPP and GAWU were sound and proof that APNU/AFC acted cluelessly and irresponsibly.
No one should underestimate the harm done by APNU/AFC’s reckless, bungled mismanagement of the sugar industry. Sugar was the major contributor to Guyana’s economy for more than 200 years before the year 2000. While new pillars of the economy emerged since 2000 and while oil will become an important footprint in the economic landscape of Guyana, there are several reasons for sugar to be a significant player in the Guyanese economy of the future. The mismanagement of the industry by APNU/AFC since 2015 has not only now threatened the very existence of a sugar industry, but has inflicted a serious wound on the economy of Guyana forever. Replacing sugar is impossible, reckless and a demonstration of a frightening political malfeasance intended more to inflict harm on the PPP, rather than on correcting any weakness in the industry.
The recent announcement that the Government has instructed GuySuCo to reopen Skeldon and Enmore was a welcome announcement until it announced the absurdity that the reopening is intended to be temporary for a week or two. It is proof enough that APNU/AFC and its various agencies, such as its Special Purpose Unit for privatisation of sugar, are clueless. The reason they have advanced for this temporary reopening is that they need to get rid of the sugar cane in the fields at Enmore and Skeldon. The reopening of the two factories at this time begs the question how much it will cost to reopen and how much money will the reopening generate. Given that they are talking about an amount of cane that will only support a week or two of factory operation, it appears that the revenue generation will not be near the cost of reopening.
It is reported and my information from sources within GuySuCo is that parts are to be imported from China to support the reopening. These parts are unlikely to arrive within weeks. In addition, the conditions in the field have become deplorable with weeds constituting “obstacles” that will make cane harvesting difficult. In addition, drainage and irrigation canals used for cane transportation are clogged and then there is the need for employees. Will they be able to have workers return for a week or two while they are busy trying to make a living and finding permanent employment?
Even as they blunder from one reckless action to another, there is still no indication that they ever had a plan on what to do with the closed estates, the employees, and the economy of the sugar estates. They announced there was a plan to introduce 485 hectares of rice cultivation and plans for aquaculture and livestock. In fact, in December 2016, the Minister of Agriculture, announced that the first rice crop was about to be harvested. Within days, the then Deputy Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and now acting CEO clarified that no harvesting was on the horizon, but that rice cultivation was about to start. It is now 14 months later and all that could be seen is 485 ha of weeds and clogged fields. Holder’s rice is fictional, as are aquaculture and livestock. In the meantime, dozens of workers who were kept on have now been told that their employment ends in March.
When Minister Harmon admitted that APNU/AFC was too hasty and that the closed sugar estates should have been kept in operation, some were hopeful that the epiphany would lead to an effort to “right the wrong”. But no one should hold their breath. No epiphany was a real hoax. It was never about the right thing, it was always about political machinations, vendetta and a hatchet job. Sugar, sugar workers and their families are collateral damage in a war against the PPP.
