GuySuCo to launch probe into shredder incident at Uitvlugt in new week

– Estate Management likely to face sanctions

As questions swirl over who should bear responsibility for the recent flying knives incident at Uitvlugt Sugar Estate, top management at the State-owned entity would be among several employees who would be called in for questioning next week.

On August 11, 2018, workers fled for their lives when the cane shredder became uncontrollable and 64 out 70 knives went haywire. Guyana Times has now learnt that senior operatives at the GuySuCo Head Office will oversee the investigation, which will be directly handled by GuySuCo’s Chief Industrial Relations Manager, Deodat Sukhoo.
Information reaching Guyana Times has suggested that Sukhoo’s probe will officially begin next week Tuesday, and should not last for more than two weeks. This follows initial inquiries where senior officers were visiting the Uitvlugt factory when it broke down and millions’ worth of cane was left to spoil. The factory started working on Sunday, and was thus able to salvage some of the produce, from which several tonnes of sugar were produced.

This newspaper understands that the Chief Industrial Relations Manager will make periodic visits to the factory, where he will meet the workers involved and obtain their version of events and how it unfolded when the Number Two turbine lost control.
Ahead of next week’s probe, a GuySuCo official recently revealed that when the operator starts up the cane shredder machine, the operator is not supposed to start the turbine, but is in fact expected to test run the knives’ component without the turbine. However, this procedure was reportedly not followed, and the “trip” was allowed to spin with excessive speed. It is this and other matters that the investigation will address. Moreover, the report could outline possible sanctions if “negligence” is determined.
The damage to the cane shredder resulted in millions of losses, at the expense of the State. The August 11 incident delayed commencement of sugar cane grinding. These difficulties meant that the second crop suffered a setback, as reported in the media.
Officials had explained the damaged parts for the turbine, knife shaft and knives were sourced and replaced, and engineers claimed that “all of the necessary safety checks have been carried out on the turbine, as recommended by the manufacturer and as stated in the operations and maintenance manual”.
It was only Sunday that this newspaper reported that some $18 million worth of sugar cane produce at the West Coast Demerara estate were left to spoil, and that senior management was probing the circumstances that led to the 20 lbs knives made out of carbon steel flying out of the knife shaft.
“I think someone should answer for that, but we can’t say yet…the investigation will determine if anyone will be sanctioned,” a GuySuCo source recently told this newspaper last week.
Last week, reports stated that over 300 tonnes of sugar canes in punts were seen waiting to be processed since two Saturdays ago, and that some of the canes began to smell. It was reported also that some 10 parts from the turbine were destroyed, and that a turbine from the defunct La Bonne Intention Estate was used to replace the damage machine.
Guyana Times also reported that management at Uitvlugt attempted to salvage the situation by opting to produce molasses which is a key ingredient in the manufacture of alcoholic beverages.
On August 11, workers started up the No. 2 turbine, but after the system malfunctioned, the 64 knives flew from all angles and some even stuck in walls. No one was injured and the workers later sang much praises to God. One observer recently called for a probe into the procedures that GuySuCo use for testing its turbines, trip-speed tests and on-site verification by qualified engineers. (Shemuel Fanfair)