Dear Editor,
The Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) wishes to respond to a letter published in the Stabroek News on September 24, 2024, titled “This could end up being a great waste of cane,” written by a Mr. Leroy Charles. In the letter, Mr. Charles claimed that he spoke with officials from the corporation, but what he failed to state was who these officials were and what are their portfolios. Can he prove that what these alleged officials said is true? Did he officially request any official information from the management of GuySuCo? The information being peddled by the letter writer is quite misleading and exaggerated to both his benefit and the benefit of those who were comfortable with the closure of the industry.
Contrary to what was stated by the letter writer, $29 million in daily losses in transporting canes from Skeldon to Albion Estate is blatantly inaccurate and he should be quite ashamed of himself for making statements alluding to GuySuCo officials and the agriculture ministry without presenting proof. Furthermore, as it relates to the transport of canes from Skeldon Estate to Albion Estate being a traffic hazard along the Corentyne Coast, these claims are also unsubstantiated as systems have already been implemented to address any possible transportation issues.
On September 5, 2024, GuySuCo, through the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB), invited expressions of interest (EOI) for the conversion of 1,500 hectares of land (for tillage and planting). The deadline for submissions was September 17, 2024, and as of the writing of this response, the evaluation process is still ongoing. It is therefore perplexing that Mr. Charles would suggest, or intentionally mislead readers, by claiming that a contractor has already been selected and implying an associated cost, when the procurement process is far from concluded. The assertion of a $1.4 million per hectare price is particularly questionable, given that the evaluation is still in progress. We urge Mr. Charles to clarify for your readers how this figure was determined when no official outcome has been reached.
GuySuCo is a public entity that welcomes scrutiny and constructive criticism aimed at enhancing the sector’s performance. However, Mr. Charles’ reckless fabrications on matters he neither understands nor has evidence of are strongly condemned. Moreover, it should be noted that the Minister of Agriculture is not involved in administrative decision-making at GuySuCo but rather relays and ensures that the government’s policies and direction for the industry are followed and executed.
Sincerely,
The Communications and Marketing
Department
Guyana Sugar Corporation
Labonne Intention, ECD