Chairman of the Region Six regional administration David Armogan on Wednesday made an appeal to the government for the preservation of the sugar and rice industries, while saying they are crucial for the survival of the region’s people.
Armogan made the appeal at a flag raising ceremony in New Amsterdam, where the crowd erupted in cheers.
“Today on behalf of the people of this region, I want to make the clarion call to ask (Minister of State) Mr. (Joseph) Harmon and, by extension, the government of Guyana, to keep the rice and sugar industry going for the benefit of this region,” he said, while specifically calling for no more sugar estates to be closed.
The government is currently deciding on the way forward for the sugar industry and one of the proposals it is considering is the closure of more estates, following the decision to shutter the Wales estate last year.
During his address at the ceremony, Armogan stated that Guyana has achieved a lot in regards to infrastructure and social services but added that it still has a far way more to go economically.
“Because up to today we still depend on primary production of commodities to sustain our country, we have failed over the years to diversify our economy to look at other agricultural processing facilities and other industrial development to take our country to higher levels of prosperity,” he said, while noting that the prices of the two major commodities produced by Region Six, which are rice and sugar, have dropped tremendously.
As a result, Armogan noted that it is not easy for a region’s economy, which depends solely on rice and sugar, to survive. “That is why I believe we are experiencing some level of economic decline because of the decline of prices of these two commodities,” he said. “Our people depend on the rice industry and the sugar industry here in Berbice to survive,” he stressed.
He questioned the implications if the sugar factories in Berbice were to close down. “Could you imagine if Skeldon is closed and Rose Hall is closed? Could you imagine what is going to happen to the Berbice economy?” Armogan asked. “What is going to happen to places like Skeldon?
What is going to happen to places like Rose Hall? What is going to happen with Canje? And New Amsterdam too? Because all of these places depend on those very workers who work in these industries,” he said.
Armogan noted that not only would the workers suffer, but other indirect beneficiaries of their contributions to the region’s economy, such as vendors, hire car drivers, businesses.
“Could we imagine if these industries cease, what are the implications? These two industries are the major foreign exchange earners,” he stressed, while noting his own belief that crime will increase in the region if the sugar factories are closed.
‘A priority’
Meanwhile, during his feature address, Harmon responded to the chairman’s appeal and noted that the citizens of the country are a priority whenever the government makes any decision. “It is the intention of this government to ensure that the livelihood of every single Guyanese, the livelihood of those sugar workers, [and] their families are a priority in whatever decision is made about the sugar industry,” he said.
“So whether an economic decision is made, it will have to be based on our understanding of the social realities of our people,” he added, before stressing that “Our people come first.”
Harmon also stated that the government of Guyana is placing much emphasis on achieving national cohesion.
He also made mention of East Indians and their contributions to the development of the nation and he pointed out that the government is pleased to be associated with the erection of a monument at Palmyra, Corentyne to commemorate the arrival of the first East Indians immigrants.
The ceremony saw a grand display of cultural items performed by students of the region. However, a skit with a message for the Mayor of New Amsterdam, urging against paid parking in the town, stole the show as it prompted the crowd to shout, “We don’t want parking meters in Berbice.”
