KING sugar is the monarch that commanded the presence of most of our ancestors to this country, and while his crown is currently resting a little shakily, the PPP/C Government is expending massive resources to ensure that the major industry in Guyana is not dethroned, despite being assailed from every side – including its own.

During Cabinet outreach, President Jagdeo told residents of Region Six (East Berbice/Corentyne) that everyone is aware of the importance of sugar to the wellbeing of the people of Guyana, especially those living in their particular Region, because it is the top employer of the people in the Region and the largest economic activity, and that without sugar there would be a major contraction in the economy of Region Six, and that all of the spin-off benefits accrue to related economic pursuits, such as people who provide service to the industry, among others.

Stating that his Government is committed to ensuring that the industry prosper, Guyana’s President Jagdeo reminded his audience that last year Guyana faced the full impact of the 36% price cuts on sugar from the EU, which is equivalent to losing an approximate US$40 per year.

However, according to the President, Guyana already had a plan in place for the revival of the industry and has invested over $40 billion – the largest single public investment in the history of our country, to ensure the survival of the sugar industry, despite the prognostications of the doomsayers.

He spoke about the difficulties encountered by GuySuCo, which include teething pains of the Skeldon factory and problems with cane supply, as well as with labour, to the extent that the production of sugar suffered significantly last year as a consequence.

President Jagdeo reiterated his administration’s commitment to ensuring the industry remains alive and spoke scathingly of persons who speak flippantly about the sugar industry and its ability to diversity away from it.

He explained that these persons do not recognize how hard it would be for a country to diversity away from its main source of income, particularly speaking in the regional context, because lives and livings in the region revolve around the sugar industry, and its demise would mean social and financial dislocations of a major magnitude in the Region.

He stressed that, while mismanagement has unquestionably contributed to the decline of the industry, which is being addressed, this is not the major cause, because other anomalies impacting the sugar industry internationally have to be factored in.

He said the magnitude of the difficulties being faced by the Government to sustain and maintain the industry has not been comprehended by most people, judging from comments being made, mainly by persons with political agendas.

He reminded his audiences that the industry cannot survive by the grace of God, although he expressed confidence that God will help in the process.

However, he challenged the labour force to commit to the process also, because cooperation from everyone is essential for the industry’s eventual projections and growth patterns.

Guyana’s President also made mention of the $2.2 billion new packaging plant at Enmore and expressed optimism in the fortunes of the industry, despite the two preceding very difficult years.

He informed his audience that Government has just invested another $4 billion into the industry, with a subsequent $1.4 billion in additional financing, stating that in the last few weeks Government’s additional investment into the industry totaled an approximate $5.4 billion in an effort to make the Skeldon factory in particular, and the industry in general, sustainable.

He said that despite other sugar-producing countries in the hemisphere buckling under and giving up on their sugar sectors as a result of the EU price cuts, Guyana was not prepared to go that route because of the social and financial dislocations it would have caused the Guyanese people who are directly and indirectly dependent on the production of sugar; hence the Guysuco Strategic Plan.

Regarding the various concerns raised by rice farmers, President Jagdeo said that, while the Government’s support for the rice industry has been strong and sustained, the entire agricultural sector need to share state resources so that there is equity in deliverables of Government’s assistance programmes, especially in view of the difficulties currently being posed by fluctuating and unreliable weather patterns.

Addressing the problem being faced by rice farmers regarding destruction by cattle to their crops, the President said that Government is attempting to acquire additional land to create more pastures for cattle, although he cannot envisage the problem being solved definitively; nor can he foresee a definitive end to animals straying on the road, because he said that Government has passed legislation for stiffer penalties and had contributed toward the establishment of pounds, yet the problem continues unabated.

He charged Mr. Merai with effective enforcement of the laws in an effort to curb this problem, which continues to contribute to the road carnage in the country.

During a television interview at the Little Rock television station, the President spoke of the late Dr. Cheddi Jagan’s attempts at rapprochement between political parties in efforts to bring healing to this nation and expressed his wish for this to become a reality during his time in office, because the development of this nation has been stymied too long as a result of divisive politics.

He said that he is, like his mentor Dr. Jagan, as is the PPP, open to forging relationships with other political parties in respectful, collaborative terms, to bring healing in the nation and to take this country forward.