THE Chronicle must continue to monitor the sugar industry and to question their excuses and failures as if everything is beyond their control like the weather.

If the minister has to point out what needs to be done, then this does not inspire confidence in GUYSUCO’s management. However controversial and politically explosive it may be, somebody in government must face reality.
Stronger oversight by the government is needed on both management and workers. Bad decisions and poor workers’ attendance threaten the industry and the huge investment made by taxpayers. Government must make it absolutely clear, that no government can continue to fund a business that cannot support itself. Neither can it continue to help those who will not help themselves or believe that they have become too big to fail.

The workers must understand that their efforts are critical if the sugar industry is to survive, and provide jobs and better benefits once it becomes profitable. More cane farmers and systems are needed to raise the Skeldon factory output. The government needs to determine if the current management and plans are capable of a break-even operation within two years or whether to put together their own plan with schedules, metrics and tight oversights to monitor the successful implementation of such a plan. Better incentives for workers should be considered as well as new sources for labour.