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What has become of the ‘sugar action plan?’

Jan 03, 2009 Letters

Dear Editor,
After reading the Kaieteur News article of December 28 with the caption “US$180M Skeldon Modernisation Plant incurs GY$1.2B in losses”, I was horrified.
What I have read in this article at minimum demands an immediate response from the Government.
Reading the Sugar Action Plan, one can clearly surmise that the new Skeldon Factory is to be the lifeline of the sugar industry. So how come we are here and no one seems to have a clue as to why we are here?
The new factory was supposed to be the following according to GuySuCo:
1. the most modern factory in the Caribbean;
2. a user of more advanced technology (diffusion) rather than the conventional grinding;
3. a user of continuous processing rather than the batch process (this is suppose to enhance efficiency in sugar production);
4. more automated, less labour intensive;
5. positioning Guyana to compete with the world in sugar.
So far, I have not heard of any of these objectives being accomplished. We as a people must recognise that sugar is intertwined into Guyana and a situation of this nature will be significantly detrimental to our people at a socio-economic level. For those who still choose not to understand the consequence of messing up in sugar, they can start by reading or re-reading the West on Trail by Cheddi Jagan. But I will continue to give the Government the benefit of the doubt and reserve my thoughts on this issue, with a view that they will clear the air on this matter very soon.
However, I have the following preliminary concerns:
1. Should there not have been some insurance to cover the mill, the cane and the sugar during the trial and test period?
2. If cane was left in the field for 80 weeks, who made this decision to not reap and grind?
3. Why was the old factory decommissioned without first testing and running the new factory?
4. Now this story about the cane dumpers and the Booker Tate people not communicating with the Chinese and visa versa is just unbelievable.
I note the principled position being adopted by GAWU, the main union that represents the sugar workers in Guyana.
I pray for the best.
Sasenarine Singh
Manchester, UK

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