Latest update February 23rd, 2025 1:40 PM
Latest News
- Miner dies after tree stump falls on head
- Drunken businessman shoots wife dead during argument
- Taxes collected by Bahamas on Guyana’s oil will soon outweigh our total earnings – Chris Ram
- Gov’t ignores concerns, reappoints Director, members of Environmental Assessment Board for 3rd consecutive year
- Pope Francis in critical condition after health deteriorates, Vatican says
Over $200M owed to nine private cane-farming societies
– “Sugar used to be a sweet business. Now, it is just bitter. Government got you crying bitter, bitter tears for your money”- private farmer
Private cane farmers who usually supply the Wales Sugar Estate with almost 50 percent of its needed cane are “angry” with the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo). They claim to be owed over $200M for two sets of cane they supplied in 2014.
Approximately 90 cane farmers belonging to the nine private cane-farming societies in the West Demerara area, congregated around 09: 00hrs at the gates of the Wales Sugar Estate to demonstrate their frustration with the sugar company’s apparent lack of “competence and utter disrespect” extended to them.
“No money, no cane,” they continually repeated.
Four of the private cane farmers during the protest yesterday
One private cane farmer, Rawle Payne, related that there are a total of nine cane farming societies in that area which would normally supply the Wales Estate with the cane it requires annually.
He related that within the nine farming societies, La Retraite is the largest with over 200 farmers. Other private cane farming societies include; Free and Easy, Goed Intent and Sisters Cane Farming Society.
He explained that one small crop was delivered last February and a larger amount in October, but they are yet to be paid.
“They owe all the farmers. I am small, so they owe me $200,000!”
His colleague, Richard Toney, also articulated that he was disgusted at the manner in which they are being treated by the sugar company. For him, the issue was not only regarding the late payment but also the broken promises to help private farmers with fertilizers.
“On to now we ain’t getting no fertilizer, so the cane could come back… so the issue is more than payment. It is fertilizers. And we have to get paid so we can get back into the field. We desperately need some help to cushion the fall, because sugar is costing us. Sugar used to be a sweet business. Now, it is just bitter. Government got you crying bitter, bitter tears for your money,” Toney said.
The Guyana Sugar Corporation, Wales Estate
Devon George, who was anxious to share his view with Kaieteur News, asserted that his problem is also regarding the delay in millions in payments, and how it works out to carry out the basic operations of his farm.
“We cannot break even because the overhead costs are more than we are receiving. We are asking for assistance with the fertilizers and what is more depressing is that for the past couple of years we never get paid on time. When we go to the bank with the cheque they give us, sometimes you hear the money is not there. It is frustrating and we are fed up. They collect our cane and is like to hell with we now. And with election coming up, we suspect we not going to get pay till after the madness,” George said.
He added, “They have no regard for us. We want our money GuySuCo. Where is our money? You get $6B from Parliament, but is like it just stuck at the top, because it don’t trickle down to us. You know it is a lot of grass in your fields and you will want to lean on us again. Give us our money or you get no cane.”
Wayne Roberts, another private farmer told this newspaper that GuySuCo’s CEO Dr. Rajendra Singh was expected to meet with them yesterday, but if they did not receive any favourable response by this morning, industrial action will be continued.
He said that an official from the Wales Estate had spoken with them and promised to help mitigate the matter.
Similar Articles
THE BLUNT OF THE DAY
Sports
Features/Columnists
Crowds, chaos and complaints
Peeping Tom… Kaieteur News- The folly of the cash grant distribution is a textbook case of what happens when a government,... more
Why the U.S. Should Strengthen Trade Ties with the Caribbean
By Sir Ronald Sanders Kaieteur News- A rules-based international trading system has long been a foundation of global commerce,... more
Weekend Cartoon
