Manufacture sugar, not Letters

Dec 24, 2021 Letters

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Dear Editor,

Kaieteur News – In their risible retort, Rose and Rajkumar accused me of “dictating” to them what to write (KN Dec. 22). I did no such thing and this accusation only betrays paranoia. I offered a friendly advice not to scandalise the character of reputed former or current GuySuCo management staff unless you have evidence. As our respected Justice Claudette Singh said in a case, “He who asserts must prove”. The duo says they didn’t “name” any of the ex-managers or staff. Are they serious? Do they understand the meaning of “context” and the role it plays in determining the identity of persons referred to under, say in the law of libel?
All of the managers — Jai Peetam, Vishnu Panday, Yussuf Abdul, Khemraj Tulsi, Paul Bhim, etc. — could make outstanding CEOs. The former and current staff have families and reputation to protect. These attacks would cause the public to view them in opprobrium. Scandalising their names make it difficult for them to find jobs. Yet, the two writers persist in their attacks on the characters of former GuySuCo staff without a shred of evidence. Why? All I humbly requested was please don’t tarnish good names of people. I didn’t criticise Rose, Rajkumar, or Sase Singh and I was tersely told “mind your business”. This is my final letter on the duo!
The writers say they are supporters of the CEO Sase Singh; that is their right as former or current members of AFC or whatever party they support or switched their allegiance to. There is no need to defend the CEO even though he is said to have carried the heavy loads when he and Rose’s names were appended to numerous letters criticising Jagdeo, Ramotar, and the PPP. His record will speak for him. I never questioned the competence of the CEO for the job, and in fact I stated he should be allowed to do his job without obviously manufactured letters in opposition to or in favour of him. All that I requested from writers is please don’t accuse staff (former and current) without evidence. Instead of manufacturing letters and penning spiteful remarks against people, they should join the CEO in Guyana to manufacture sugar.
I do not know any of those persons whose character is maligned; I learn about them in conversations with Dr. Nanda Gopaul and others who served on the board and or were former Ministers or in management. The maligned individuals are praised for their contributions to GuySuCo. To say that they were on a gravy train and responsible for the insolvency of GuySuCo is to implicate them in corruption and obviously libelous. To implicate them is also to implicate Bharrat Jagdeo, Donald Ramotar, Robert Persaud, Leslie Ramsammy, Nanda Gopaul, as well as the boards, etc. – that they stood by while some rode the gravy train. That is a very serious charge. Jagdeo and Ramotar had consistently stated that if anyone has evidence of corruption, take it to the police. Why don’t Rose and Rajkumar and even the CEO step up to the crease?
Is GuySuCo involved in a beauty pageant or is serious about producing sugar? Please don’t pelt stone on former or current government or GuySuCo officials. I challenge the two writers to please provide evidence to show how they rode the gravy train – how many first class trips they undertook, how much was spent on five star hotels, how much food was ordered under their watch, how many birthday parties they had under GuySuCo expense, how much soup they drank and gave out to soup drinkers to defend them in the media, how much kick back they received when tractors or fertilisers or other supplies were ordered, etc. Why focus only on PPP appointees as the source of insolvency of GuySuCo? Why not also PNC, APNU, and AFC when they put the nail on the coffin of GuySuCo during their five years tenure? Is it because of any former or current affiliation with AFC and the coalition?
Sugar was doing well until around 2009 when international markets were closed to Guyana. Although not profitable, the company was still the largest employer and brought in huge amounts of foreign exchange as well as taxes to the coffers. Communities flourished economically as a result of GuySuCo operations. The economy was doing well up until 2016. Then the coalition APNU+AFC downsized shutting down four estates that has led to impoverishment of communities and strangulation of the economy.
The writers say that the former staff only knew of bulk sugar not packaging sugar. So is GuySuCo now involved only in retailing sugar? Do they know the hundreds of jobs lost (from small community shops) with GuySuCo competing with the small shopkeeper to retail sugar at lower prices? How much new acreage has been brought to cultivation over the last 14 months? And how much more sugar was produced at the three estates compared with preceding years?
The writers claim that the maligned staff enjoyed an extravagant lifestyle (with countless amenities and perks) at GuySuCo. Can they say which of the numerous perks mentioned that the current CEO has not availed himself? If current management is doing such a great job, why the need for subventions. Over $12 billion have been given to GuySuCo over the last 14 months. And it was Vice President Jagdeo, not management, who championed raises to sugar workers of 5% and 7%. GuySuCo management initially opposed salary increments leading to wildcat strikes.
The writers say they are fearless in calling “a spade a spade”. The classical Greek/English idiom (meaning forthright truth) is not applicable as no evidence is presented to substantiate any claim. And further, they claim they did not call names. That is not calling a spade a spade. That is like calling a soup spoon a spade and hiding behind ambiguous language.
I appeal again, please don’t scandalise good people’s name to destroy their character, especially a pandit, a spiritual leader of impeccable integrity and competence in sugar. Have the two writers interacted with former or current staff and board members to determine their views on the current issues?
I urge the CEO to please advise his friends to cease and desist. Happy holidays!

Yours truly,
Vishnu Bisram

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