GAWU on Friday said that sugar production this year will not reach 100,000 tonnes and will be the lowest production of GuySuCo in its now 43-year history.
At a press conference, the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU) said that when it checked its records which go back to 1940, it is the lowest production ever. GuySuCo has not been issuing regular bulletins on production figures.
GAWU pointed out that during the year it had expressed concern about the level of production.
GAWU cited the following data as of December 19th:
The union said that the production especially in the second crop was affected by the poor reliability of the industry’s factories.
“Apart from the non-achievement of the target, large quantities of canes earmarked to be harvested will have to be carried-over into the first crop of 2020. At Albion 950 hectares of canes are expected to stand unharvested when the crop ends, at Blairmont nearly 615 hectares are estimated to be left back and at Uitvlugt 135 hectares were not harvested. By the time the canes are harvested next year they will be over-matured. Apart from lesser sugar content, such canes are more problematic to harvest and could well present challenges to the workers next year. It is disturbing that the industry would have expended large sums to tend these canes with an expectation of high results in sugar but now will find itself in a situation whereby there will be lower returns than anticipated”, GAWU said.
On the breakdown of the factories, GAWU said that $30B has been borrowed in GuySuCo’s name to address this very issue, among other things.
“For the GAWU, it appears, while the grass grows the horse is starving. We further note that the breakdowns are occurring when a number of retired personnel had been recruited which makes us wonder whether they are up to their responsibilities”, the union added.
It also cited workers’ pay as a major ongoing issue.
“Today brings us to 1,814 days since sugar workers’ pay rates have remained stagnated. Over the last few weeks, the workers and the Union have heightened their call for a pay rise. A petition supported by thousands of workers to President (David) Granger remains unanswered though the President has committed to providing a response after he heard from the sugar company.
“Our Union understands that GuySuCo has provided a response to the President but nothing, so far, has been forthcoming from Mr Granger. Apart from the petition, workers have conducted vigils and protest activities outside of the estates. They also took part in a picketing exercise outside of the Ministry of the Presidency where they encountered a massive security mobilization despite the peaceful character of the activity”, the union said.
Since it entered office in May, 2015, the government has shuttered operations at four estates: Wales, East Demerara, Skeldon and Rose Hall. Over 7,000 sugar workers have been made redundant.
