GuySuCo is a government experiment gone wrong

Jul 11, 2010 Letters

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Dear Editor,
Internal information sharing within GuySuCo has it that the management restructuring that was announced in January 2009 has backfired and new changes have been implemented mainly driven by Board Member Dr Rajendra Singh who lives in the USA and is deemed an important player in the decision making of GuySuCo.
These changes are to remove the position of Regional Directors with immediate effect and to move the incumbents into their former positions at HO. Mr. Editor it seems that GuySuCo is a government experiment that has gone wrong. When the announcements were made in January 2009 the reasons for the changes were to prepare the organisation for the changes ahead. (January 15th, 2009 – Business & Economic – Kaieteur News: by Tusika Martin).
The Minister of Agriculture in support of the organisational changes insisted that the changes are crucial for the turn around, “Persaud told the media that the current restructuring is about shaping the organisation into the most effective composition to enable management and employees to deliver the best possible results for the corporation in the future”. (January 15th, 2009 – Business & Economic – Kaieteur News by: Tusika Martin).
One year after the announcement it leaves Guyanese to deduce that the restructuring did not deliver as expected. The Regional Director Demerara, Mr. Rishi Sookram who is also a board member of the Guyana Gold Board returns to his position at the Materials Management Department with the conditions of a Director. Mr. Editor GuySuCo needs to demonstrate to Guyana and all sugar workers how this movement of personnel will solve the problems of the industry. Mr. Jairam Pitam Regional Director Berbice was given a U for the performance of the Berbice Estate in the first crop of 2010 and so too was Mr. Rishi Sookaram. The failures of the Sugar Industry is evidence of the Government’s vain attempt of placing party members into key position of the corporation with the hope that wonders will be created. The folly is quite transparent when on the instruction of the Board Booker Tate contract with Skeldon two was terminated as a “Republic present” to the people of Guyana. If this board was credible then they would have understood that termination of the BT contract at a most crucial time of the contract would have serious implications for GuySuCo and the country.
I am also certain that this decision to terminate the contract would have had the blessings of the Government given its inordinate nature. It was not amusing therefore to see that GAWU at its last congress moved a resolution for compensation from Booker Tate. No one is saying what arc the consequences of the termination of BT contract with Skeldon2.
Editor I hope that the current board is abolished and replaced with persons who understand the sugar industry. Mr. Burrowes is staying not on his own free will as he alluded to in his letter of March 28, 2010 to Kaieteur News. His resignation from the board was not accepted. The chairman has no standing in business which is clearly demonstrated by the quality of the Startegic Blueprint and his utterances on GuySuCo. Mr Rajhurai position on the board is clearly one of conflict of interest as he is on the payroll of GuySuCo as a trainer. Mrs Knights is clearly a government favourite. Dr Rajendra Singh is clearly a PPP overseas-based member.
Mr. Editor GuySuCo’s plummeting performance is synonymous with the inability of GuySuCo and the Minister of Agriculture and by extension the Government to address the real issue of the company diverse from its political connection.
Putting a PPP connected Deputy Chief Executive into office, protecting an underperforming ED and repositioning a PPP connected failed regional director can never solve the problems of the sugar industry.
This experimentation is not without its humour. Every week there is an investigation on production issues, Wales for performance (The estate manager for Wakes has resigned). CE cannot give a “semi” accurate estimation of production, Geeta Singh has given instruction to each senior staff of GuySuCo agriculture research unit to report how he spends his day at work, Factory Manager Skeldon no formal management experience, GM Skeldon and PPP member no formal qualifications.
Mr. Editor if an assessment is done of the current CE it will be seen that he is 99.99% unloved by employees of GuySuCo. How can a company survive much less prosper with a CE that is cut off from its employees? Some persons of credible standings would have already left the organisation, but with that kind of ‘cheese’ it is difficult for some not to stay. The love is not important I guess.
Mr. Editor this Government experimentation of GuySuCo has not only gone wrong it has gone bizarre and the Guyanese sugar workers are asking for answers.
Rohit Parmanand

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