Govt to halt sale of sugar estates – Agri Minister tells Granger

Agriculture Minister, Zulfikar Mustapha has vowed to immediately cease the sale of the four sugar estates which were closed during the APNU/AFC Administration’s tenure.

This is according to Agriculture Minister Mustapha, who was responding to former President David Granger’s comments on the new Government’s plan to reopen the sugar estates he closed.
According to the Minister, Granger has jumped on board the bandwagon along with a few others to score cheap political points by telling his supporters that the PPP/C’s plans and commitments to reopen the sugar estates is “fake news”. However, Mustapha assured Granger and his supporters that the Government has all intentions to stick to its commitment and the Guyanese people will see those closed sugar estates reopening.
He reminded Granger that it was his Government which chose to put thousands on the breadline, with no plan, when he arbitrarily closed down the Rose Hall, Skeldon, Enmore and Wales Estates despite being elected to office on the promise of keeping those estates open.

“Let me remind the former President that it was during his tenure that the Special Purpose Unit (SPU) was preparing to sell off these estates to the best bidder. My Ministry will ensure that all of these processes are stopped immediately, that the lands be used for the benefits of the people of this country. Also, we will work with NICIL to revoke any land handouts during the illegal tenure of the former President and have those lands reinstated to the Guyana Sugar Corporation,” Mustapha stated.
He noted that in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Government will continue to adhere to all the protocols while working assiduously to ensure that all its plans are rolled out. The Minister assured the sugar workers that the PPP/C Government is working around the clock to reverse the bankrupt economy that was inherited from the Granger Administration.
“I wish to reiterate the fact that within the last five years, we saw gruelling losses in the sugar industry. Four sugar estates were closed and over 7500 persons were displaced. Thousands of other persons lost their livelihoods while these factories suffered damages that will take dedication and determination to repair. The people in the sugar belts depend on these estates for their livelihood and our dedicated team is working around the clock to ensure that all is in place for a smooth reopening. We and the workers are well aware that this will not happen at the click of a finger but it will take time. I take this opportunity to implore on those persons who are awaiting the reopening, not to fall prey to the ‘fake news’ coming from the APNU/AFC camp but to have some patience and confidence in our team,” the Agriculture Minister related.
Granger sought to discredit the PPP/C’s commitment to enhance the lives of the Guyanese people when he made an appearance on the APNU/AFC show “Public Interest” hosted by party activist Nicole Telford. The former President also claimed that he is yet to see the PPP/C’s manifesto.
To that claim, Mustapha countered: “We don’t blame him, he is still yet to see his own SoPs (Statements of Poll) from the 2020 elections since he made it public that he hasn’t seen those as well. And, honestly, that is no fault of the PPP/C or the Ministry of Agriculture.”
The Agriculture Ministry intends to pursue areas of diversification that would bring back the jobs lost, expand employment opportunities, and re-create wealth in these communities. President Dr Irfaan Ali stated publicly that his Government will work to bring back economic life to the businesses, specifically, in the community of Wales.
Also, the Ministry of Agriculture has set up a team to examine areas of support to families through targeted interventions during the transitional phase. The team is also expected shortly to meet with executives from various farmers’ groups, the Guyana Agriculture Workers’ Union (GAWU) and other stakeholders.
The Agriculture Ministry will appoint a new Board of Directors to oversee the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) and there will be a reshuffling of the management of the Corporation.
The David Granger-led Administration had taken the unilateral decision after entering Government to close operations at four major estates in Guyana – Wales, Enmore, Skeldon and Rose Hall. The plan to downsize this main economic sector had its blows, both socially and economically on the population.
Over 7000 individuals would have lost their jobs, creating grave economic hardships in these communities. After four years of being left on the breadline, persons are still struggling to find employment and provide for their families. Many were hopeful for the lands over the past two years to supplement their lost income. But the incumbent Government failed to keep its word. (G2)