Dear Editor,
The Management of the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GUYSUCO) wishes to clarify several inaccurate public statements that were recently disseminated by President of the Guyana Agricultural Workers’ Union (GAWU). GUYSUCO does not intend to negotiate in the press with the Unions but we wish to bring to the table at all times, factual clarifications to some of these public statements being made by the Union’s President.
After August 2020, the executive organisational staffing at Head Office was increased by a net of two (2) persons; not thirty (30) that is being alleged by the Union Boss.
Currently there is an employment freeze of senior staff at Head Office until the Human Resource and Skills Audit process is completed. That Report is expected to be submitted by the end of June 2021.
The GUYSUCO compensation package is governed by the Hays Job Evaluation Methodology and the Corporation has been unable to meet the recommended rates for the senior staff since 2013 (seven years), which means that the Corporation’s rates are below the average senior management salary rates in the public service and private sector.
The current management acknowledges that it inherited in August 2020, a debt owed to the GAWU Credit Union and the Union for dues totaling G$113 million. Since then to now the Corporation, with the limited cash flows, has paid approximately G$140 million to the GAWU. The Corporation formally committed to the GAWU to pay a further G$2 million per week to clear the inherited debt.
In 2020, the Corporation made a loss of approximately G$3.8 billion. This information is available to the GAWU.
This meant without financial support from the Shareholders, the Corporation could not have met its wages bill. The information is also available to the GAWU.
The 2017 Independent Audited Financial Statement of GUYSUCO, made it absolutely clear that by way of the Vesting Order of December 30, 2017 called the GUYSUCO (Transfer of Property) Order 45 of 2017, “all moveable and immovable property of Wales, Skeldon, East Demerara and Rose Hall” were transferred to NICIL. But the uniqueness of this dysfunctional transaction, as stated in that public document, acknowledged that “the liabilities of the vested estates remained with the Corporation”. Further, there is nothing “fairly straight forward” about a business that has the External Auditors declaring that “the validity of the going concern basis on which the consolidated finance statements are prepared is dependent on the continued support from the Government of Guyana”.
The Corporation remains firm in its commitment to collaborate with the Unions to bring a final resolution to the workers compensation issues. To that end, the Corporation invited the Union to a meeting on May 4, 2021.
GUYSUCO’ s management remains firm in its commitment to working with all stakeholders, especially the three (3) Trade Unions in the industry, to build a resilient business with an empowered workforce in an environment that is healthy and safe for all. The Corporation is desirous of arriving at an amicable solution acceptable to all stakeholders. Nonetheless, GUYSUCO encourages factual discourse to advance the cause of the 7,400 workers and Guyana.
Sincerely,
Indira Badal
Senior Public Relations Manager
Guyana Sugar Corporation Inc.
