No political interference credited to GuySuCo’s turnaround – Dr. Clive Thomas

For years, the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) had been performing poorly. Several sugar estates were failing to meet weekly and annual production targets and the management of the State-owned company, among other factors, was blamed for the industry’s poor health.

GuySuCo Chairman, Dr. Clive Thomas

But since the APNU+AFC coalition has taken hold of the reigns of governance, GuySuCo seems to be making some improvements; the kind which has its new Chairman, Dr. Clive Thomas elated. GuySuCo recently reported that several estates have not only been meeting weekly targets but surpassing them. Even the controversial $200M Skeldon Factory has improved in its daily production. In mid October, the corporation said that Skeldon saw its highest daily production since its commissioning in 2009. It recorded 515 tonnes of sugar, surpassing its previous highest of 501 tonnes which was achieved in September 2012. It said, too, that with just two and half months left in the year, sugar production is on course with almost 78 percent of the target completed. With regard to production, GuySuCo disclosed that it produced 10,254 tonnes of sugar for the week ending October 16, surpassing the 10,000 tonnes mark for the third time this crop. Estates at Skeldon, Albion, Blairmont, East Demerara and Uitvlugt have all surpassed their weekly targets while Rose Hall Estate achieved 97 percent. In mid-October, it was reported that the industry also recorded its highest daily production of 1,785 tonnes of sugar surpassing its previous highest of 1,699 tonnes which was also achieved earlier in this crop. The Uitvlugt Estate completed its second crop for 2015 on Saturday October 17, 2015 and produced 7,847 tonnes of sugar surpassing its target by 733 tonnes. “Further, the estate produced 16,428 tonnes of sugar for the year surpassing its year’s target by 1,065 tonnes.” GuySuCo also announced that it has awarded its junior staffers and rank and file employees on the seven estates a total of $285.7M for their achievement of 26 weekly production incentives for the first crop, 2015. For the second crop, the Corporation has doled out $531.5M for their achievement of 47 weekly production incentives. The new GuySuCo Chairman, Dr. Clive Thomas, told Kaieteur News that he is happy with the recent success of the sugar industry in some areas and noted that several plans are in the mainstream to help develop other areas. He however declined to divulge what those are at this time. The economist said, “But for the time being, I would say that I am pleased with the performance of the Corporation. It is proof of what good management can achieve It’s a different kind of environment we have now; a healthy environment which encourages the staff, and fosters proper practices unlike what took place in the past.” “I am pleased with the way the Skeldon factory seems to be improving. And I know that it can do more. But this is a good sign for the industry. GuySuCo’s recent success is also proof that political interference was a severe toxic element in the industry and to the Corporation. That is done with. “ In the past, the A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) and even the Alliance for Change (AFC) had been extremely critical of the manner in which the State-owned company was being handled under the previous regime. It was often said that the Corporation had been badly wounded by poor financial management, ill-informed investment decisions, conflict of interest and corruption at the point of procurement. The then APNU+AFC opposition had also highlighted that the roots of these problems lay at the interface of the then PPP Government, its former Board of Directors and Management. One APNU member had said, “The poor performance of the company, its (former) Board and management are not a coincidence. It is self inflicted and arises in part from reckless and socially irresponsible behaviour. In one swoop, over less than 20 years the Board has managed, no doubt at the prompting of the PPP, to create a de facto homogeneity that is dysfunctional and poisonous.”