IT needs no repeating that the current state of the national sugar industry embodied in the corporate structure of GuySuCo has become untenable, due to reasons that by now are well known, and which ought not to detain us in this editorial.

But a 8brief reminder is necessary, if only to dispel some of the misinformation by persons who left it in the state it’s in, but who are now desperately seeking to wash themselves of their gross mismanagement that has brought a once vibrant, profitable industry along with dedicated workers to its knees.

There is no community in which a sugar estate stands, that could deny its profound impact on the daily livelihoods of those who contribute to its production process, beginning with the planting of cane to its harvesting, through to the factory process to final sugar production. Not only has it been a socio-economic development of families and communities, but also continuously the major influence on economic activity for a variety of businesses that depend on its work force for daily commercial sales, where cane-planting and sugar production take place.

Its contribution to the national coffers has been decisive, as well as its role in the national development process. Memories are not too short, or hazy, to recall the shocking revelation that awaited the newly-elected A Partnership for National Unity+Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) Government on its very first day in office –that GuySuCo was broke; it had no money to continue its operations and pay its workers.

This was a frightening, inherited state of affairs that had its genesis, growth, and continuity in past People’s Progressive Party/Civic administrations, and by extension, the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU) whose long- standing president, was also a member of the GuySuCo Board of Directors, as well as a member of Parliament for the entire duration of the PPP/C’s stay in office. Former president, Donald Ramotar, also served on the board.

It is now well documented, the urgent steps that the current administration has taken, not only to prevent the final collapse of an industry with a debt level in excess of $80B; but also ensuring the continued livelihoods of thousands of workers and their families, with significantly large subsidies — $32B to date.

There is no government that would want to create an unnecessary industrial climate, by sending home large numbers of workers, such as GuySuCo’s, with the very serious political implications that such action would attract. Add the latter to the socio-economic fallout and it becomes a national nightmare.

It must have taxed the mental energies of the coalition government heavily on the way forward. But there comes a time when hard decisions have to be taken. What must be clearly understood is that there was no quick fix to the industry’s current situation, though the union and political opposition have been trying to tell the workers otherwise.

In fact, there is no business, whatever the nature and size that would want to continue with such an abysmal dollar-losing balance sheet as GuySuCo’s. The constant subsidies that have been in excess of $32B since 2015, coupled with the plans for industry diversification is standing testimony that government’s first priority and concern were to the workers and their communities. And this meant less fiscal space to attend to the other critical sectors: housing and water; roads and electricity, and public servants such as teachers, policemen/women, doctors, nurses and allied workers who are still in need of better wages/ salaries and improved working conditions.

For an administration to decide to reduce the finances of its various ministries, to accommodate the first half of what is definitely a hefty severance bill, underlines its commitment to the affected workers. But it will affect many socio-economic programmes for even the improvement of the lives of the very sugar workers.
At this point, we ask what contribution is the largest sugar union, GAWU, prepared to make to the coalition government’s Secure Livelihoods Programme for the post-sugar environment. Government is committing a stated $100M to such an endeavour, particularly for the skills-training segment, to which there have been a positive response.

With a reported $30M raked in from union dues, GAWU’s contribution share ought to be unconditional and substantial to any ameliorative strategy that will give substance to the future of the affected workers. Finally, sugar workers in the East Berbice-Corentyne region and elsewhere, should begin to ask serious questions of their political party leaders, and those of their unions, as to how their management of the affairs of their industry has led to the very sad state it has become. This is the principal challenge for all sugar workers.