GuySuCo’s been having cash flow problems for some time now. No secret there. It was always living in borrowed time with the EU agreeing to a premium price: not because it loved the Caribbean… but because it wanted to subsidise its own beet sugar farmers. We don’t have to go into the sleight of hand it used to accomplish this – until it was challenged at the WTO and forced to fold its hand.
The good thing about the Corporation is it came out with a “Strategic Plan” as far back as 1998 to make its operations profitable, even if that “preferred” market of the EU – disappeared. The PPP tried to implement the plan… but somewhere between the plan and the execution of it, things went awry. And so GuySuCo was stuck with a product that was being produced waaaay above what the world would pay for it.
What to do? Well one couldn’t just close up shop, could one? There was the small matter of what to do with 18,000 cane workers. It wasn’t like with Trinidad which decided to abandon the sugar ship – they had oil revenues to soften the social and economic blows. Another thing would be to downsize and diversify. The PPP did this… and the present APNU/AFC government’s continuing in that vein. So far so good.
The other thing, however, is that both administrations – PPP and APNU/AFC – chose another option – selling off GuySuCo lands for housing. And this is where this Eyewitness has to pick a bone with the powers that be. Fact of the matter is the GuySuCo lands are some of the best agricultural lands on the entire planet Earth. Not just with easy accessibility and high fertility – but with that most important agricultural demand of all – absolutely the best drainage and irrigation in the entire Caribbean!
As we have all been educated to appreciate, hundreds of thousands of human beings died to dig the thousands of miles of canals to make these lands into what they are. And we now make them into housing schemes by filling in the canals? What an insult to their memory – not to mention basic economics – in a world where “food security” will be the buzzword for the next century!
Our political directorates are behaving like it’s caught in a bear trap, and has to chew off its own leg to escape. But unlike bears in the wild, this government should know there are experts in the field of development economics who may be able to suggest better ways to utilise our surplus GuySuCo lands.
Or let’s call in India or China to send in some farmers…
…in Coalitions
The WPA’s griping (well some members at least!) about being ignored by the PNC and not even being allowed to have any input into policy making. Well the fellas didn’t say “PNC” but they’re in coalition with THAT party in APNU and the first level of consultation should’ve been at that tier. But anyhow, why in the world are they surprised?
When Burnham launched the PNC – unlike what the present lot’s trying to tell us, he didn’t coalesce with JB Latchmansingh, but with the United Democratic Party (UDP) and Sydney King, who would change his name to Eusi Kwayana. The UDP had individuals who were recognised politicians and as soon as Burnham got into office, he didn’t just not listen to them when they were around… he made sure they COULDN’T say anything by banishing them abroad on ambassadorial postings.
The WPA stalwarts in the coalition should bear their chafe for a while.
Pretty soon they might just be residing in foreign climes!
…the Public Servants
It doesn’t seem the Public Servants understand the plan that’s unfolding for them, so your Eyewitness is going to make it clear. Hoyte’s downsizing that the PPP refused to go along with, will be brought back with a vengeance.
APNU knows the GPSU has no wriggle room!
