GuySuCo mourns the loss of its former Vice Chairman

Dear Editor,
The Guyana Sugar Corporation mourns the loss of Dr. Yesu Persaud, CCH, who was the former Vice Chairman of the entity since its incorporation on May 21, 1976, when the Government of Guyana acquired the net assets from Booker McConnell Limited, the Demerara Sugar Company Limited, and the Guyana Sugar Producers Association.
Dr Persaud was the longest serving Vice Chair in the sugar industry, serving the sugar industry for twelve (12) years, from 1976 until 1988. His humble beginnings in the sugar industry made him aware of the harsh environment and experiences of the sugar workers, and that knowledge propelled him towards working for the alleviation of those conditions, and made him focused on improvement in the sugar industry.
Dr. Yesu Persaud had always aimed for excellence; set high goals, and, through his exemplary leadership style, worked to enhance and develop the human resource capital in the sugar industry.
The records of GuySuCo illustrate that Dr. Persaud had been a foremost thinker in the industry in the early part of his life, advising the then Hoyte Administration with respect to the involvement of the Private Sector in the sugar industry as a means of enhancing efficiency in the industry. The Corporation must note that today, because of these early seeds planted by business leaders like Dr. Yesu Persaud, some 50% of the lands on the West Demerara that are dedicated to sugar cane are now cultivated by the Private Sector and their product serves as feedstock to the Uitvlugt Sugar Mill.
Under his visionary leadership, the sugar industry forged a strong relationship with the company that he led for many years, the Demerara Distillers Limited (DDL), and today that relationship between the state-owned GuySuCo and the Private Sector-led DDL is stronger than ever. This relationship is a manifestation of his hard work at adding value to locally produced products by Guyanese in Guyana and the World over. Today, both the Demerara Sugar and the Demerara Rum, forged from the same soils of Guyana, illustrate the strength of his vision and intention for all the peoples of Guyana.
In addition to his substantive contribution to the sugar industry, GuySuCo is also aware of the numerous multi-faceted contributions made by Dr. Yesu Persaud to the socio-cultural development of the Guyanese people; his support to the various mandirs and cultural organisations is indeed remarkable.
The Board of GuySuCo, the Executive Management, and the 7,789 workers of the sugar industry would like to wish the family of Dr. Yesu Persaud and the DDL Family our deepest condolences upon the passing of this iconic Guyanese patriot.

Sincerely,
Angela Abraham-Parks
Communications
Officer
GuySuCo