No clear way forward as sugar talks begin

Jan 01, 2017 News

-Opposition, Unions meet with Govt, GuySuCo

Following talks between the Government; the Parliamentary Opposition; the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) and Trade Unions; there is still no clear way forward as it relates to the ailing sugar industry.

Stakeholders meeting yesterday in the Boardroom of the Ministry of Agriculture.

Over the past few months, the David Granger-led administration would have proposed several plans that have attracted both praise and criticism.
They have also sparked much public discourse especially on the large chunks of money being plugged into GuySuCo to keep the Sugar Industry afloat.
There have also been talks by the Government about diversification alongside a Commission of Inquiry (CoI) that was done on the Industry. That CoI recommended that the sector be privatised.
Diversification work has already started at the Wales Estate which ended sugar production a few days ago.
“Workers from Wales Estate would be offered jobs at that location” as part of a rice paddy production project which has already commenced, Agriculture Minister Noel Holder told media operatives at his Ministry last Thursday.
He revealed also that should GuySuCo continue as structured, $18B would be required in 2017 and a further $21B in 2018. “It doesn’t get any better going forward so something has to be done,” he said.
The meeting yesterday was one which saw stakeholders receiving documents containing some of the options being considered by the government and GuySuCo.
This was according to a representative of one of the Trade Unions that represent Sugar Workers – the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU).
Included in the delegation that met with the government and GuySuCo officials at the Ministry of Agriculture yesterday were members of the Opposition including, Irfaan Ali, Juan Edghill, and Clement Rohee.
Representatives of the National Association of Agricultural, Commercial and Industrial Employees (NAACIE) were also present.
The question asked by GAWU was whether (the meeting) was based on a fait accompli; whether they were there for the optics of it, or if it was a meeting to provide their suggestions and to share their views.
“The Government representatives said that while they have some ideas, they have made no decisions. The meeting was to share their ideas,” the GAWU representative said.
The spokesperson said that the contents of the documents are still being ‘digested’ and feedback in terms of the Union’s position, will be provided as soon as the documents are perused.

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