What a disaster!

Dear Editor,
The pattern of record poor performances at the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) continues uncontrollably.
After recording a production of 183,652 tonnes in 2016 — the lowest annual production in 25 years — the incompetent IMC has struck yet another blow on the well-being of the industry with another record low production of 49,600 tonnes sugar after 16 weeks of grinding operation in the first crop of 2017.
This is the second lowest sugar production for a first crop in 25 years, and this has been one of the longest crops — if not the longest crop — in recent memory with no estate meeting its targeted sugar production.
GuySuCo advised this nation in February this year that it would produce 74,172 tonnes sugar in this first crop, then shamelessly delivered a mere 67% of that target. The estates’ individual contributions are: Albion – 18,326t; Rose Hall – 9,090t; Blairmont – 9,065t; Enmore- 6,073t, and Uitvlugt — 7,046t. Of significance, it must be noted that Rose Hall estate delivered the second highest sugar production, but is slated for closure. To put into perspective the performance in 2017, it is instructive to compare production with three previous first crops. It is as follows: 2017– 49,600t; 2016 — 56,645t; 2015 — 81,143t, and 2014 — 79,995t.
Editor, with this level of sugar production in the first crop of 2017, the unit cost of production must be astronomical, apart from mammoth expenditures incurred in a failing diversification model at Wales estate. With these realities, taxpayers must demand that the corporation’s IMC emerge from its state-of-the-art hideout in LBI compound and give an account for these unfolding disasters. How long will politicians defend a failed model for re-organization of such a critical industry?

Sincerely,
Sookram Persaud