Introduction
Guyanese are rightfully concerned that all major industries in the economy are performing well. I believe this would be true regardless of whether a particular industry is owned by foreign private or local private investors. When, however, the industry is state-owned, and therefore in part by them (as taxpayers) they have a deeply vested interest in its performance outcomes (whether employment levels, profitability, production or productivity). Citizens need assurance that the industry is performing in a manner to secure both its present viability and continued sustainability into the future. In other words that it works inefficiently and is not a drain on public (taxpayers) resources.
Therefore, when the Minister of Agriculture makes a pronouncement on the sugar industry