Latest update February 14th, 2025 8:22 AM
GuySuCo launches probe in Uitvlugt Estate turbine incident
The Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) has announced an investigation into an incident, which halted operations at its West Demerara estate.
According to the corporation, several senior management officials and engineers are involved in the probe.
“The Guyana Sugar Corporation Inc. (GuySuCo) wishes to inform members of the public that an investigation has commenced into the Uitvlugt Estate knife turbine incident which occurred in the factory on 11 August, 2018,” a release of the corporation disclosed.
Uitvlugt is the only remaining, operating estate in the Demerara area with the other two GuySuCo estates in Berbice- Albion and Blairmont.
The Uitvlugt factory area, West Demerara
It was reported that there were problems with the knife turbine, which caused pieces of sharp metal to be sent flying.
The knife turbine reportedly chops the canes sending pieces of sharp metal flying.
Fortunately, there were no injuries.
However, grinding was cancelled for several days as GuySuCo rushed replacement parts to the West Coast Demerara factory.
According to GuySuCo yesterday, the probe team will include several senior engineers, along with managers from Human Resources and Health and Safety.
The investigation commenced last week with the accident viewed as an engineering matter.
According to GuySuCo, approximately 111 tonnes of sugar was declared from the sugarcane, which was burnt at the time of the incident.
However, as a result of the “stalling of the canes”, from the factory being out of commission, the variance from the estimated sugar expected from the canes is almost 68 tonnes of sugar.
“The investigation will be conducted over a three-week period.”
Government as part of the cost-cutting measures closed four estates in the last 18 months, laying off 4,300 workers.
The remaining three estates, under the smaller-sized GuySuCo, is expected barely scrape past the 100,000 tonnes mark for sugar this year, the lowest in decades.
The problem at Uitvlugt would further serve to cast a longer shadow on an industry that in its heyday was the backbone of the country.
It has fallen on hard times, with poor agriculture, corruption, a crippling 30-plus percent price cut on its world market, aging factories and a disinterested work force all combining to make profits a labouring, uphill task.
Similar Articles
THE BLUNT OF THE DAY
Sports
Features/Columnists
Protest electoral tyranny
Peeping Tom… Kaieteur News- There comes a time in the life of a nation when silence is no longer an option, when the... more
OAS Secretary General Election and renewed OAS Consensus
Antiguan Barbudan Ambassador to the United States, Sir Ronald Sanders By Sir Ronald Sanders Kaieteur News- The upcoming election... more
Weekend Cartoon
