Dear Editor,
I refer to a letter in the Guyana Chronicle dated 14.9.08 wherein Mr Jackson, CEO of GuySuCo outlined the operational problems associated with the new plant and sugar cane production in general.
I agree with him that this is a turnkey project, and it is up to the Chinese government to ensure its contractor hand over to GuySuCo a fully commissioned and operational facility in accordance with the terms of the contract.
However, what should be of concern is how GuySuCo intends to obtain the large amount of water required for its addition of some 80,000 acres of sugar cane expansion. Some time ago I read in the press that GuySuCo was constructing new infrastructural works, eg, digging canals, drains, installing pump stations, etc, and it would appear that GuySuCo intends to obtain water from the overstretched Canje Creek.
If this is the case I would like to know if any water balance was carried out by GuySuCo to determine the cut-off point for salt-water intrusion up the Canje from the Berbice River, bearing in mind the front lands and Black Bush Polder also depend on the Canje for irrigation water.
Any such salt-water intrusion would be detrimental to the farming community in the East Berbice area.
It would appear to me that GuySuCo embarked on this large-scale and costly project without first determining the source of its most important requirement − irrigation water.
Yours faithfully,
M. Alli
Editor’s note
We are sending a copy of this letter to GuySuCo CEO, Mr Jackson, for any comments he may wish to make.