PPP/C presidential candidate Irfaan Ali has dismissed criticisms that his plans to reopen shuttered sugar estates are unrealistic, while maintaining that he has a sound plan to resuscitate the industry.
Ali said that save for the Wales, West Bank of Demerara estate, where sugar cultivation has been discontinued and the infrastructure dismantled and lands sold, a PPP/C government will ensure the estates closed by the APNU+AFC government are back up, running efficiently and turning a profit.
“We have already made it clear publicly that we intend to reopen three of the four estates…,” Ali said as he explained that while Wales will not be reopened, he has plans to bring back economic opportunities for persons in that area.
“In particular, we will pursue areas of diversification that would bring back the jobs lost, expand employment opportunities, and re-create wealth in this community,” he said. “We intend to bring back economic life to the businesses, specifically, and the community of Wales more generally. Additionally, we will support this community and families of the workers of the Wales estate, through targeted interventions during this transitional phase,” he added.
According to Ali, the details of the how the plans would be rolled out will be addressed in the PPP/C’s manifesto.
In January of this year, Ali pledged to reopen the estates and came in for strong criticisms from members of government, with APNU+AFC’s Khemraj Ramjattan saying that it was a ploy to play on the emotions of voters in the sugar belt and those that lost jobs when the estates were closed.
Ramjattan told this newspaper that the PPP/C needs to be honest with the public and explain that the sugar industry was not sustainable when it was still in office and was a huge financial burden on the economy because of mismanagement.
“They need to tell this country about the true story of sugar and how the global prices affected us here. They need to say how much monies they collected from the EU (European Union) to cushion the effects of those fallen global market prices and put in a plan to cater for all of that but wasted it on Skeldon and did other things that has seen us the way we are today,” Ramjattan said.
‘Ending the sufferings’
But Ali said that the PPP/C’s position on sugar is not a political but human one, where the lives of persons are bettered and the suffering endured by thousands can be alleviated.
“My concern about the destruction of the sugar industry is not about garnering political support but rather ending the sufferings of thousands of families. The devastation of livelihoods and corrupt dealings surrounding the assets of the sugar industry should be a cause of concern for all Guyanese. Rescue of sugar is not about politics, but about an industry that can generate opportunities for the people of Guyana and look at synergistic relationships with other sectors, including the new oil and gas sector,” he said.
“How can leaders of the APNU-AFC carry on with their extravagant lifestyles and see sugar workers and their families struggle to muster a basic meal daily? They may be unbothered, but I worry and can’t wait to get sugar back on its feet again. We do not make promises that we cannot fulfill. We have always stayed true to our promises made. This can be confirmed by assessing our track record in terms of fulfilling our manifesto promises. Unlike the APNU-AFC, we do not make promises to lure voters. We make promises that are achievable and most importantly that address problems faced by people and community. If there is any one that cannot be trusted it is the APNU-AFC. They made promises in almost every sector that have be broken and not kept,” he added.
And as it pertains to the EU’s aid for the sector over the years, Ali said that the money wasn’t wasted and maintains it was used for its “intended purposes.”
“Recognising the 36% cut in sugar price over the four-year period that began in 2006, it was critical that the PPP/C embarked on a set of projects and activities to reduce the cost of production and make the industry globally competitive through a process of diversification aimed at expanding the revenue base of the entity and restoring viability. To this end, Booker Tate was hired to oversee this strategy, which included, among other things, the development of the co-generation capacity of GuySuCo, the establishment of a packaging facility, refinery, and distillery. The latter was delayed because of court actions,” he said.
“The solutions in our strategy fell within the National Development Strategy that was embraced by all stakeholders. While for various reasons, the plans did not achieve 100% of the desired results, no one can point to any evidence that the funds obtained from the EU were not used for the intended purposes,” he added.
Ali said that he wants the public to know that a government being led by him will not just focus on the sugar sector but will look at the development of agriculture holistically. These plans also, according to Ali, will be outlined in the party’s manifesto.
Focus, according to him, will centre on the use of technology to meet global demands and make the farming process easier.
“Our plans will ensure the recommitment of state support in providing our farmers and the agriculture sector to expand, develop, and become competitive. These plans will be outlined in our manifesto. In ensuring this, we will focus on marketing support, drainage and irrigation, logistic chain, packaging, cold storage, financing, access to land, farm to market access road, improved livestock and breeding programme, aquaculture, and a comprehensive slew of tax incentives that will stimulate growth, encourage investment and sustain the industry.
“The plan will see the creation of mega farms, increased export revenue from the agriculture sector, and improvement in the wellbeing on all the citizens who are directly and indirectly dependent on the agriculture. We will end the state policy of neglect and make it more efficient and productive. I intend to address frontally many of the woes of our farmers,” he said.
And with much revenue anticipated from the bourgeoning oil and gas sector, Ali, an economist, said that he will channel those monies into diversification of the agriculture sector
“We will use resources from the oil sector to invest in new technologies, affordable energy to develop an agro-industrial sub-sector and tackle many of the hindrances to a vibrant agriculture export programme…,” he stressed.
He said that when the party’s manifesto is released, voters will see for themselves that the PPP/C is not just about words but it will give a clear-cut vision and broad plans for not only the sugar industry but the country.
