Latest update April 17th, 2025 9:50 AM

Guyana's largest selling daily and New York's most popular weekly

Latest News

Sasenarine is dead wrong about the sugar industry

Apr 22, 2011 Letters

Dear Editor,
Sasenarine Singh’s letter in the Kaieteur News of April 19, 2011 reeks of opportunism. Singh was an established member of the PPP for a number of years. He remained in spite of the policies and decisions made by the party.
This former PPP member’s most deceitful statement, however, was that the PPP inherited a booming sugar industry from the PNC. This is a false statement, as any proper investigation into Guyana’s trade history would reveal. Guyana, a former British colony, benefited significantly from trade agreements made with the European Union under the Lomé Convention.
This agreement meant that the European Union bought Guyana’s sugar at a substantially higher price than that of the standard world sugar price until this preferential trade agreement was brought before the World Trade Organisation (WTO). Consequently, the preferential trade agreement between Guyana and the European Union ended, and this impacted significantly on sugar exports.
The PPP did not inherit a booming sugar industry from the PNC. Neither was the PNC’s rice industry as stable. The Economic Recovery Programme (ERP) failed in its attempts to revitalize Guyana’s failing economy. By 1991, Guyana’s key export markets, rice, bauxite and sugar, had radically regressed. Sugar production went from 220,995 tonnes in 1987 to 129,987 tonnes in 1990, and rice production plummeted from 131,700 tonnes in 1987 to 94,000 tonnes in 1990.
In 1991, Guyana exported 157,000 tonnes of sugar. In 2009, Guyana exported 170,422 tonnes of sugar, in 2005 it was 231,700 tonnes, and in 2010, Guyana exported 147,308 tonnes of sugar. The total amount of rice exported in 1991 was 50,000 tonnes, compared to 237,071 tonnes in 2010. While the sugar industry no longer benefits from this preferential agreement; it is still striving to compete on the world market.
Sasenarine Singh, by virtue of what is said in his letter, has deliberately attempted to mislead the Guyanese public, as what he has written in his letter, in no way reflects the actual truth of Guyana’s sugar industry.
Nigel Green

Similar Articles

The Glenn Lall Show|| April, 14th, 2025

 

 

Follow on Tik Tok @Glennlall

THE BLUNT OF THE DAY

Sports

Baksh half century inspires Herstelling’s 50-run victory

Baksh half century inspires Herstelling’s 50-run victory

Apr 17, 2025

-Demolition, Providence also register wins in Ryan Dookie Annual Memorial T/20 Championship Kaieteur Sports- The second weekend of the East Bank Demerara Cricket Association/Ryan Dookie Memorial T20...
Read More
CARIFTA Games athletes depart for T&T

CARIFTA Games athletes depart for T&T

Apr 17, 2025

Shattas meet Botafago, Capital FC battle Milerock in semifinals of Mice / Jermaine Futsal Championship tonight

Shattas meet Botafago, Capital FC battle Milerock...

Apr 17, 2025

Dujon remembers Pydana – former Guyana and West Indies keeper

Dujon remembers Pydana – former Guyana and West...

Apr 17, 2025

St. Rose’s crowned Georgetown champions in Cheddi Jagan Memorial Windball Cricket Competition

St. Rose’s crowned Georgetown champions in...

Apr 17, 2025

Guyana’s Seon Bristol and Dexter Patterson among 14 Caribbean boxing promoters on newly formed promotional body

Guyana’s Seon Bristol and Dexter Patterson...

Apr 17, 2025

Features/Columnists

Publisher’s Note

Freedom of speech is our core value at Kaieteur News. If the letter/e-mail you sent was not published, and you believe that its contents were not libellous, let us know, please contact us by phone or email.

Feel free to send us your comments and/or criticisms.
Contact: 624-6456; 225-8452; 225-8458; 225-8463; 225-8465; 225-8473 or 225-8491.
Or by Email: [email protected] / [email protected]

Weekend Cartoon

Bridge Watch

Demerara Harbour Bridge

> Berbice Bridge […]