The GuySuCo CEO has no strategic plan

Dec 25, 2021

https://www.kaieteurnewsonline...s-no-strategic-plan/

Dear Editor,

Kaieteur News – I was eagerly awaiting Mr. Charles Sugrim’s support for GuySuCo’s CEO and it came on 23rd December, 2021 in a letter in the Kaieteur News captioned “GuySuCo’s CEO has to be given time to implement his strategic plan”.
Well let me make it clear, this CEO has no ‘strategic plan’ and even though two of his friends were each given 6 month contracts to assist in the preparation of ‘Business Plans’ for GuySuCo, they never submitted any but the plans prepared and submitted by Estate Managers kept changing with each meeting with the CEO and the Board. Until now, there is no clear direction how the billions given to GuySuCo will be spent.
Can I ask Mr. Sugrim to verify whether he was given a contract for US$25,000 to do a Human Resources Audit? Is this not part of the ‘gravy train’? Is it true that the Board was unaware of this contract? Is it not true that after this audit was concluded no formal report was made known but ‘heads’ began rolling?
Mr. Sugrim in his letter insisted that the CEO needs a ‘united team which will work to achieve the objectives of the entity’. This is inadvertently acquiescing to the fact that his HR Audit was to weed out those who were not subservient to the CEO and to find ‘suitable’ replacements. Sugrim then emphasized the need for ‘a trusted team’; this again laid bare the objectives of his ‘mission’. What must be concluded is that over 17 experienced and qualified staff at Head Office were intimidated and coerced into resigning. Were these recommendations not in alignment to your plan Mr. Sugrim? Another very disconcerting conclusion is the fact that these persons who resigned is now classified by Mr. Sugrim as ‘untrustworthy’.
Mr. Sugrim as a qualified accountant should be aware that GuySuCo sank ‘into the abyss’ due to the EU’s 36 % price cut and not because of the professionals he wants to malign. As for the ‘glamour and the perks’, the current CEO has taken these to new heights along with his band of ‘trusted’ cronies.
Is it not true Mr. Sugrim that Sasenarine’s appointment as CEO has more to do with rewarding the Diaspora’s financial contribution to the PPP’s 2020 Elections Campaign rather than being ‘fit and proper’ for the job? Is this why the CEO and his other AFC friends are allowed to enjoy the ‘gravy train’?
If the Government is serious about the sugar industry, then an investigation and an audit needs to be launched immediately.
Yours sincerely,
Abdool Majeed

Who is riding the gravy train at GuySuCo?

Dec 28, 2021

https://www.kaieteurnewsonline...vy-train-at-guysuco/

Dear Editor,

Kaieteur News – I refer to the letters of Charles Sugrim and Asquith Rose & Vicki Rajkumar (KN) about former staff riding the gravy train at Guysuco as the trio defend and promote their friend Sase Singh. They are all current or former AFCites who slammed Jagdeo, Ramotar and the PPP when the party was in office and the first couple of years of APNU rule. I ask Sugrim, Rose, and Sase Singh – are you not riding the gravy train at Guysuco?
There was a huge 50th birthday bash for Singh at the Guysuco palace? It took a lot of GuySuCo human and financial resources, on a scale unprecedented in the history of the PPP, to prepare for the birthday bash. Such abuse only occurred under PNC rule. Wasn’t Rose there? The President, VP, PM, and the entire cabinet were invited. None showed up! Why? Why didn’t Sugrim fly down from New York? How many doctor quack roses were presented to the CEO?
Were GuySuCo senior managers and field supervisors compelled to attend this birthday bash? Were staff instructed to attend and be there at a particular time? What would have happened to them if they didn’t attend? They had a great time – loud food and drinks (top of the line), man, and good music too! It brought back memories of Burnhamism; when we were compelled to attend PNC rallies or lose ‘we lil wuk’. Burnham used to have people take attendance. So we had to attend his rallies and sometimes goodies were given out. It happened under Hoyte too but not under Jagan and subsequent Presidents! Would Jagan or Janet have permitted such behaviour?
Is it true that an accountant from NY was paid some US$20,000 plus expenses over nine months ago to prepare a report on the restructuring of GuySuCo? Did GuySuCo board know of, and, or approve this so-called study of GuySuCo? Does Charles Sugrim know the accountant? Was the report ever prepared? Were there recommendations to the board arising out of the study? Where is the report? Is any letter writer who is defending the CEO being paid a fee from Guysuco or some other source? Are hotel accommodations and stipends for a letter writer being paid for by Guysuco or an agent of it? Should or will the report include the abuse of human resources and money and about those riding of the gravy train over the last fourteen months? Last January when Paul Bhim was leaving, it was mentioned that a Finance Director will be hired from overseas, but the person would not be available until after the summer. Does Sugrim know the person? What are the terms and conditions? Will this new hire not ride the gravy train? And there is one Michael Fung, about 70 years old, who works directly for Sase. Isn’t his salary around 750,000 GYD under marketing category? What are his qualifications in sugar production? Fung was a music band manager? How is that related to sugar production? Will he be providing music to the CEO, staff, labourers and to the cane as they grow? Aren’t there also two bodyguards constantly with the CEO? Why – is he under some threat? Aren’t there also four technical advisors and two assistants working directly with the CEO? Does any one of them have any background in sugar other than tasting it when drinking free tea or coffee or sweet drink at the office? Can Mr. Sugrim compare this with the leadership of Dr. Harold Davis who had just a secretary and a driver, and no body guard?
Mr, Sugrim should carry out an audit of the satisfaction level of management staff at GuySuCo. And while at it, he should ask who has been riding the gravy train over the last fourteen months? He will find that the situation has never been so bad at GuySuCo in its history, not even under the 33 years of PNC governance and certainly not during the 16 years of Jagdeo and Ramotar presidencies.
Sugrim advises that disgruntled staff must not look at the trees and ignore the forest. How can they see the forest when the trees have been laid bare – their leaves and limbs were cut down. Parasitic vines have sprung up sucking the company with birthday bash and big money for friends. Terminating managers and professionals and replacing them with friends or yes people without requisite qualifications can only have dangerous outcome for GuySuCo. It is Christmas season. What is going on at GuySuCo is being compared to a masquerade band. How long will the VP tolerate the entertainment from this band? Till after the holidays!

Yours truly,
Budhram Singh

If these guys would stop the frigen waste of time suing..countersuing each other over frivolous bullshit maybe..just maybe the government and corporations will get some work done.

@cain posted:

If these guys would stop the frigen waste of time suing..countersuing each other over frivolous bullshit maybe..just maybe the government and corporations will get some work done.

Indeed Cain ... indeed ---

Much focused and progressive work will be achieved without the lawsuits here, there and everywhere.

Of course, the lawyers could be twiddling their thumbs all day with little or no work to do.