Following a Guyana Times article that millions of dollars were being lost in spoilt canes, the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) announced on Monday that the Uitvlugt Estate was functioning again.
Uitvlugt Estate
The corporation, through an official release, disclosed that the factory resumed operations on August 19 after experiencing “technical difficulties”. These errors which the estate recorded related to the damage of the cane shredder or knife turbine, which delayed the August 11 commencement of sugar cane grinding.
These difficulties meant that the second crop suffered a setback, as the corporation noted that its engineers and technicians have been working continuously to ensure that the downtime for the factory was minimal. Officials also explained the damaged parts for the turbine, knife shaft and knives were sourced and “replaced speedily”.
The 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”. The factory has since been handed over for grinding operation to recommence, GuySuCo said.
“While some losses were incurred as a result of staling of canes which were burnt at the time of the incident, it should be noted that the losses are minimal. With good attendance and a focused management and staff, the estate is set to achieve its second crop target of 10,780 tons sugar. The other two estates will produce the remainder of the target for the crop – 68,045 tonnes of sugar; with Albion Estate producing 38,160 and Blairmont Estate, 19,105(tonnes sugar),” GuySuCo disclosed.
This newspaper reported on Sunday 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 64 out of 70 knives flying out of the knife shaft when the Estate’s cane shredder lost control.
“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.
Reports were 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. Guyana Times reported that a trial was indented for Sunday, and relying on GuySuCo’s statement, that trial seemed to be a success.
According to information obtained, some 10 parts from the turbine were destroyed.
Guyana Times also reported that management at Uitvlugt attempted to salvage the situation by opting to produce molasses, a key ingredient in the manufacture of alcoholic beverages. Estate Manager Yudhisthira Mana was supposed to disclose the full cost to repair the shredder machine, which was expected to be in the millions. However, GuySuCo did not address the cost factor on Monday. Apart from that, the Corporation has not provided an update on the status of the management’s investigation.
On August 11, 2018, workers started up the No. 2 turbine, but after the system malfunctioned, they were forced to duck for cover when the 64 knives came flying from all angles and some stuck in walls.
No one was injured, which propelled the workers to sing much praises to God.
The knives are made out of carbon steel and weigh 20 lbs each. 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.
