Dear Editor,
Sugar is the backbone of our economy; in fact, it has been the mainstay of all Third World economies in this part of the known world. I am talking about sugar being of great importance before bauxite, rice or mining. It is the single crop to have brought the races together here in one geographical space. Sugar, yes, sugar; no other industry can command that important a position as sugar has earned for itself.
Sugar has also been a bedrock for the colonials – history vividly shows us – and the jewel in Britain’s Crown, to the point where wars were fought to upkeep its legacy.
In this regard the sugar industry holds a special place on Guyana’s economic landscape, and every step must be taken to ensure its viability.
But not only should we keep it alive, as is the general discourse, but to make it profitable and economically sound for many more years to come. To speak of sugar is nostalgic to me, because I am from the largest sugar growing area in our country, I was brought up on sugar; all that I am and ever hope to be is due to the mighty sugar industry. But lest I be overwhelmed by nostalgia, let me return to our discourse.
Our sugar industry is vitally important in that it is allied to all the major agricultural industries, and were it not for sugar, they could not exist. We are looking at associated agro-based industries such as rice, vegetable production, and the cattle industry, which all owe their vital existence on sugar. These other crops and animal husbandry areas all subsist on sugar’s efficient drainage and irrigation network, which has remained intact throughout the years.
Even the new housing development areas were either built on sugar lands, or depend on it for essential drainage. So, to callously close sugar’s doors would spell disaster to this entire country. Our sugar industry does not exist in a vacuum, nor should it be viewed as an isolated entity by itself; every other industry in some way or the other is intertwined with the majestic sugar industry.
And may I add that closing the estates was an ungrateful act, because sugar piloted our battered economy during those mismanagement years of the PNC. At one stage, sugar was taxed to support the flagging bauxite industry. Never in history was one industry taxed to shore up another, but sugar was, therefore in its time of need, when sugar was going through a difficult period, should we ever turn our backs on the industry?
It was also a spiteful and vindictive act to close the sugar estates, as expert advice was available to them from the IMF, but they ignored every educated avenue that was at their disposal. Their own study conducted by Professor Clive Thomas was thrown aside as they surged ahead with that backward decision to close.
Now, the hidden agenda behind the Granger Government closing the sugar estates was all bound up in the retrograde idea that sugar is an employer of persons who are mainly of Indian ancestry and a reservoir of support for the PPP/C party. So, close the industry and cripple their power base. No wonder the PNC’s obsession with the PPP/C stronghold areas in Region 4 during the last election, it was purely based on spite.
With the ushering in of a new administration, sugar has been given a new lease on life, sugar has been revived. Reports so far show healthy signs of change as the ratio of tons of raw cane to actual sugar production has been reduced; that is, from 12 tons of cane to 1 ton of sugar, to 8 tons of cane to one ton of sugar. This is great news, as a revitalised industry moves forward into the future.
Respectfully,
Neil Adams
