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Investigations should be launched before GPL and GuySuCo get budget allocations – NAACIE
By Zena Henry
Now that the Parliamentary Opposition has a meaningful say in budget allocations, the National Association of Agricultural, Commercial and Industrial Employees (NAACIE) is hoping that investigations would be launched into the management and functioning of the Guyana Power and Light Inc. (GPL) and the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo), before any more funds are pumped into the two entities.
NAACIE’s General Secretary Kenneth Joseph
NAACIE’s General Secretary Kenneth Joseph is in fact insisting that although more money is needed to facilitate effective production, both companies need immediate reform and thorough reviews of their management systems.
Joseph told media operatives that, “It is our firm belief that these two companies would need to have more funds injected. But along with those funds and even before, there needs to be serious investigations into the way these companies, which are government-owned, are being conducted.”
He said that during discussions with managers of these companies, “It is noticeable that senior managers are lost. According to them, it appears that they have to wait on instructions, so decisions that are to be made take a long time, while some are not made at all.”
“That is similar to what’s going on with wages, where there are mandates. Development of the companies seems to be directed.” This, he said, has been the observation for years by “union workers on the ground,” and despite forums, suggestions and engagements pertaining to the issue, “this is as far as it goes.”
“Human Resources Departments in especially those two companies are hurting, because decisions cannot be made by managers as they would like. It is not good for business,” Joseph stressed.
“There must be proper investigation before the money comes. By far, GPL is the worse of the two companies and regardless of how the sugar industry is working, GPL is very unsafe and we now have to look out for deaths.” He claimed this is frequent amongst GPL field workers.
Joseph said with GuySuCo “the only thing left to do is to produce more cane”, as there is a lot of idle time. This information he said has already been related to the union as supervisors in the field would express what is taking place and identify the locations where more work is needed.
Joseph reiterated that there needs to be better management of both companies and monies allocated would therefore be better spent with improved production being the likely outcome. “This is not to encourage non-acceptance by the opposition of current budget proposals, but the nation…the parliament needs to be part of the investigations into these two public companies. “There is nothing else to be done. It’s no use we pump money and next year we have to pump more money and we keep pumping, because workers are not benefiting and the consumers are not benefitting.”
Joseph said that there needs to be more collaboration between workers, unions, company management and stakeholders for better accountability and transparency.
Subsequent to Speaker of the National Assembly Raphael Trotman’s ruling last Wednesday that the Parliamentary opposition can make cuts to budget allocations, indications were that funds would be taken away from the ailing electricity and sugar-producing companies.
For some time, both GPL and GuySuCo have been facing major financial difficulties, with the government on several occasions facilitating bailouts. However Agriculture Minister Dr. Leslie Ramsammy has defended the $814M allocated to his Ministry. He was able to convince the House that the sums were needed and would be used for significant upgrades.
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