The announcement by the Ministry of Agriculture that there will be collaboration with Cuba to help our sugar industry in the thrust to modernise and return it to profitability is a welcome one and one wonders why it took so long for Guyana to make such a move because Cuba is among the leading sugar producers in the world, in fact, at one time it was the world’s largest producer, and as such posses a wealth of expertise and experience in sugar production. However, due to a combination of various problems, including natural disasters it has slid down the list of top producers but still maintains a formidable position..
Our sugar industry which has been on the decline for several years now needs all the help and expertise possible to return it to high levels of production and productivity.
According to the Ministry of Agriculture following successful discussions, the Cuban government has committed to providing the skills to support Guyana’s diversification effort by offering specialist training to Guyana’s Agriculture Officers and students at the various institutions under the Ministries in Cuba.
“Further, Cuba is interested in the modernisation of Guyana’s agriculture sector and will depute a team of officials to study the changes that Guyana is undergoing for agriculture diversification and food production.”
Cuba has always demonstrated its willingness, in tangible ways, and a deep commitment to sharing its expertise and resources to assist other countries with their developmental thrust, despite its difficulties.
In 2007 a Lagos-based non-governmental agency, (NGO) urged stakeholders in the manufacturing sector to take advantage of the pledge by Cuba to transfer ethanol production technology to Nigeria.
In a chat recently, Cuban Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. Elio Olivia, said his sugar producing country was ready to share its expertise in the production of varieties of sugar cane, and alternative source of energy with Nigeria.

According to Mr. Ben Adighibe, Executive Secretary of the New Ethnic organization, “the offer by Cuba would help localize ethanol production technology and also boost trade relations between the two countries”
Adighibe said, in addition to boosting trade relations, local production of ethanol, which is sourced from sugar, would save the country huge foreign exchange which we expend every year. He also said that the recent crisis in the industry involving alleged importation and sale of denatured ethanol by some Nigerian companies, to producers of domestic end users which posed serious dangers to public health, would not arise. (Source: CUBAHEADLINES).
Cuba has always shown in tangible ways its commitment to its policy of peace, friendship and international solidarity and here again like it has done under the scholarship programme and our health care system it is once again extending a hand of help.
This assistance with expertise for our sugar industry has come at a most opportune time as it gears itself to meet the challenges and overcome problems which are hindering production and productivity.
What is notable is that such assistance does not have strings attached to it, unlike the kind of aid which many wealthy countries provide.
Guyana has to be extremely grateful to the invaluable assistance and cooperation from Cuba which dates back to the early 1960s when the then PPP government came under severe pressure from the local reactionaries and their foreign masters.