GuySuCo’s 2017 1st Crop makes disastrous start

Dear Editor,
Readers would recall that the Interim Management Committee (IMC) and Board of Directors of GuySuCo took credit for 2015’s performance despite taking the reins of the industry in June of that year. That performance was attributed to the IMC’s leadership and zero political interference in the Corporation. After one and half years at the controls, production at the end of 2016 plummeted to a 25-year low. The reasons proffered for that abysmal performance were weather and labour, not IMC’s leadership.  
We now come to 2017. The first crop of this year commenced during the week of February 12 and after four weeks of operation, sugar production is a disaster. One wonders whether GuySuCo’s Board or Government is monitoring performance indicators for the Corporation or if they place total trust in the utterances of the inept CEO.
At this juncture, efficiency is of utmost importance to reduce cost and ultimately dependence on the treasury. I say this because after four weeks of operations, a mere 132,000t cane was milled producing 10,137t sugar with five factories operational. This translates to a conversion rate of 13t of cane to 1t of sugar for the entire industry. What is even more troubling is some factories are taking 14+ tonnes cane to make 1 tonne sugar. A quick comparison of the Corporation’s production estimate shows a dismal 49 per cent achievement of target after four weeks. Such performance level translates to an astronomical unit cost of production. The present performance raises the question whether there is any benefit from the large group of executives, technical managers, engineers and assistants that the inept, arrogant CEO employed recently. I am almost certain that whenever GuySuCo’s communications unit surfaces to defend this shameful performance, it will cast blame on run-down assets, weather and workers. Management will take zero responsibility.

Sincerely,
Sookram Persaud