Government management of public finances

Jun 10, 2026 Letters

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Dear Editor,

The recent tabling of a Supplementary Financial Paper in the National Assembly seeking an additional $3B for the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) raises serious questions about the Government’s management of public finances and its long-term vision for the sugar industry.

What makes this request even more concerning is that GuySuCo had already been allocated approximately $16B through the 2026 National Budget, which was approved in February of this year. Mere months later, the Government is once again returning to the National Assembly seeking billions of additional dollars for the corporation. This development warrants scrutiny and accountability, particularly given the substantial sums of taxpayers’ money that continue to be directed to an industry that remains heavily dependent on state support.

Guyanese would recall that GuySuCo’s decline did not begin overnight. The corporation experienced significant challenges under the PPP/C administration prior to May 2015, resulting in declining productivity, mounting losses, and an unsustainable financial position. By the time the Coalition Government assumed office in 2015, the industry was already in a state of distress.

Recognizing the severity of the situation, the Coalition Government sought to address the corporation’s structural deficiencies through a process of rightsizing and reform. While these measures were met with intense criticism and political propaganda from the PPP/C, the reality is that GuySuCo still benefited from approximately $60B in state support between 2015 and 2019.

Upon returning to office in 2020, the PPP/C made numerous promises to voters regarding the revitalization and modernization of the sugar industry. Guyanese were assured that GuySuCo would be transformed into a viable, productive, and sustainable enterprise. There were grand announcements, ambitious projections, and repeated assurances that the industry’s fortunes would be reversed.

Yet, six years later, the results tell a very different story.

Between 2020 and 2026, GuySuCo reportedly received close to $80B in government support, and now taxpayers are once again being asked to shoulder an additional $3B. Despite these substantial injections of public funds, there is little evidence that the corporation is on a path toward financial sustainability or operational efficiency.

More troubling is the fact that it appears the PPP/C has no genuine intention of resolving the perennial challenges that continue to plague GuySuCo. Instead, many observers are left with the impression that the corporation is viewed primarily as a political asset because of its importance as a traditional support base.

The experiences of sugar workers themselves support this concern. Between 2020 and 2025, GuySuCo workers staged several protests and public demonstrations, repeatedly bringing to the Government’s attention concerns regarding poor conditions of employment, inadequate wages and salaries, and the need for improved benefits and worker welfare. Despite billions of dollars being allocated to the corporation during this period, many workers continued to express dissatisfaction with their circumstances, raising legitimate questions about where these investments have been directed and whether they have delivered meaningful improvements for the workforce.

Moreover, the PPP/C has already changed leadership at the corporation. Mr. Sasenarine Singh was replaced by Mr. Paul Cheong, yet the public continues to receive limited information regarding the true state of the industry, its production targets, financial performance, and long-term viability. Transparency and accountability appear to be lacking at a time when billions of dollars of public resources are being expended.

The fundamental question remains: after nearly $80 billion in subsidies since 2020, an allocation of $16B in Budget 2026, and now a further request for $3B through supplementary provisions, where is the modernization that was promised? Where are the measurable outcomes that justify these continued injections of public funds?

Guyanese deserve accountability, transparency, and responsible stewardship of the nation’s resources. Sugar workers deserve an industry that is genuinely positioned for growth and sustainability, not one that remains dependent on annual bailouts while fundamental challenges remain unresolved.

Yours faithfully,

Annette Ferguson

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• Annette Ferguson, GUYSUCO, Letters, public finances, Supplementary Financial Paper

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