A GuySuCo lorry contractor is selling off 21 lorries after saying that the corporation has failed to increase lorry rates over the last five years.
Mohammed Shariff, a lorry contractor for the Albion and Rose Hall sugar estates, said that he is abandoning 30 years of service with the corporation. “I made a lot of investment in GuySuCo but the corporation is no longer intact,” he said. Shariff noted that a clause that provides for lorry rates to increase once the prices for fuel and parts climb was removed from the contract a few years ago, thereby putting pressure on lorry contractors who needed to maintain their machinery. “It’s hard to maintain the lorries when there is no increase,” said Shariff. He also stated that it was difficult for him to overlook his machinery because he was living far away from the estates.
The Chief Executive Officer of GuySuCo Paul Bhim said that he was aware that the contractor was selling out his lorries but noted that the loss of a few lorries would not injure the corporation. “We have enough lorries in our system to take care of our needs,” Bhim said, while adding that it was the contractor’s right to sell his machinery if he so chooses. Fifteen lorries previously contracted to the Albion Estate and six lorries contracted to the Rose Hall Estate are currently up for sale.
