Valiant efforts to rectify the mechanical issues at the Guyana Sugar Corporation’s (GuySuCo) Uitvlugt estate, have so far proven futile and plans are afoot to call off the estate’s first crop, a source familiar with the issue said.
A broken turbine gear in the factory halted operations since March resulting in grinding operations being left at a standstill. Production stopped at the estate subsequent to the mechanical failure of the Number 1 mill turbine gearbox.
According to the source, the estate has ordered a replacement part but it is yet to arrive in the country.
“They order a new one [replacement part] from a company overseas but that would take some time to come in the country,” the source said.
Stabroek News attempted to interview the Estate Manager, Yudhisthira Mana, but he ended the call after being questioned as to whether it was true that the estate was preparing close off the crop season. Calls to GuySuCo’s Chief Executive Officer Sasenarine Singh went unanswered.
Earlier this month, Mana had said that foreign engineering company, Nexus Engineering, was commissioned to fabricate parts to replace the broke turbine gearbox.
At the time, he informed that the part was 60 per cent completed and was expected to arrive in the country shortly.
A source had previously told this newspaper that the gear has to be replaced but sourcing its replacement has been a challenge since the part was manufactured decades ago and the manufacturer has gone out of business.
Mana had said, “The part that was damaged in the factory is one that is over 50 years old. It is one that normally don’t be on ordering and safe keep because (it has) rarely been damaged, and so to say just have one on standby to replace, we don’t normally have that.”
The estate manager pointed out that Nexus Engineering had to engage in reverse engineering to construct the spare part since there was no blueprint to guide the fabrication.
“They had all the parts to repair the unit and they said they will assist us and started the process… we are looking to have some parts to ship in the country… we will be having it soon in a very short space of time. It is very challenging to have this unit repaired,” the Manager said then.
Close to mid last month, grinding operations resumed after suffering the same issue. To date, the estate has only been able to produce 66 tonnes of sugar from its over 4,000 tonnes quota.
The Uitvlugt estate has been given the target to produce at least 25 per cent of the sugar expected from this crop.
GuySuCo has set a target to produce some 21,000 metric tonnes of sugar in this first crop.
