GuySuCo CEO says sugar workers being paid, no salary cuts for senior staff

Mar 05, 2026 News

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(Kaieteur News) – Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) Paul Cheong on Wednesday said sugar workers are being paid, pushing back against reports that there have been salary cuts for senior staff.

Subsequent to a post on Facebook by the We Invest in Nationhood (WIN) on Saturday, Kaieteur News contacted Minister of Agriculture as well as the CEO to confirm the allegations.

In its post, WIN alleged that over 60 sugar workers attached to the Uitvlugt Estate have not received salaries for some three months now, and that senior staff across the four estates are facing cuts in their salary.

The party then listed the key concerns of those workers reaching out to them as, “approximately 60 workers at various levels attached to Uitvlugt Estate have not received salaries for the past three months. Monies have been cut for senior staff, including the 2025 (8%) and 2026 (9%) salary increases. Senior management staff across all four estates; Uitvlugt, Albion, Blairmont and Rose Hall have had their salaries slashed by nearly $100,000.”

The statement went on to say that the workers are holding to the belief that they are being misled and taken advantage of in regards to the agreed wage adjustments.

“The PPP lied to the sugar workers yet again to trick them into voting for PPP…The Head of the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU), Seepaul Narine, who also serves as a sitting Member of Parliament, has failed to provide proper representation to affected workers. His dual role raises concerns about a conflict of interest and whether sugar workers will ever receive independent and uncompromised representation under this government,” WIN stated.

The party is also claiming that reportedly at least two sugar workers attached to the Uitvlugt Estate were victimised and then immediately removed from the union after standing up against these issues. Leading WIN to question how it is expected that persons survive without finances in a country with a high cost of living?

Highlighting that persons depend heavily on their salaries to feed and provide for themselves and their families, WIN is calling on the Minister of Agriculture to give his immediate attention to “the non-payment of wages and the reported unilateral salary reductions.”

On reaching out in order to confirm the allegations the CEO told this publication that “The staff are paid, yeah, the staff are being paid… I mean, they’re being paid, so no salary cuts,” he clarified.

Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha told the reporter that as far as he knows the workers are being paid and any further information needed could be obtained from the CEO of GuySuCo.

With further questioning he said, “No listen, I think there is an issue with the budget and the union and GuySuCo working on it…I saw the Union issued a statement…So you should get on to the CEO at GuySuCo or the Finance Director Mr. Fazal and he will give you all the information but I don’t think that’s true based on the Union’s statement. So the Union and the Corporation they are working out the arrangement on all payment issues.”

On Monday March 2 the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU) issues a statement saying that it has taken note of a social media post appearing on the Team Mohamed’s page over the weekend regarding certain developments in the sugar industry which was made on behalf of the opposition political party We Invest in Nationhood (WIN).

“According to the post, some 60 workers of Uitvlugt Estate have not been paid for the past three (3) months. This is certainly news to us, as no worker, much less sixty, within the Union’s bargaining units within the sugar industry has indicated that they were not paid for any period. Had such concerns really existed, the Union would have long represented these workers. We must caution that we are unable to offer any comment for sugar workers not within the Union’s bargaining unit,” GAWU said.

The statement went on to say that in relation to the senior staff, apart from the section represented by the union, it cannot shed any light on the contentions advanced, however it must be highlighted that the seniors staffers who fall under the union’s umbrella have received no reduction in their earnings or conditions.

The union said it is also unaware of any sugar workers were misled or taken advantage of regarding wage adjustments. As far back as 2024 the union, and the Guyana Sugar Corporation Inc. (GuySuCo) signed a three-(3)-year wage/salary pact, and the agreement provides for pay rises for 2024, 2025 and 2026.

Hence, the union is at a loss to see where workers were misled, and what is described as “the disingenuity emanating from the political grouping is not surprising.

Our union’s president, Mr. Seepaul Narine, is charged with not representing GAWU members in the sugar industry. As we have pointed out, that is precisely what Mr. Narine and the union have been doing. We do not need any advice from the WIN and its players on how we should pursue our work. The party highlights the disciplinary actions taken by the union against two (2) Uitvlugt Estate workers. We wish to clarify that the actions taken by the union are consistent with its constitution and were carried out in accordance with due process. Furthermore, we do not comment on internal matters in public.”

Furthermore, the union is urging the party “not to engage in desperate acts of deception and obfuscation.” Reminding that the GAWU remains proud of effort to protect union members and advance their rights and conditions.

“We cannot fail to note that, as the WIN feigns concern for sugar workers, in its midst are several personalities who stood silently and, from all impressions, supported the closure of estates and the sending onto the breadline of thousands of sugar workers. The contradiction is evident, and the crocodile tears are visible,” the union added.

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• Agriculture Ministry, GUYSUCO, salary cuts, Sugar Workers

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