AFTER the abysmal utterance from A Partnership For National Unity (APNU)

Finance spokesperson, Carl Greenidge, that: “Combined, GuySuco and GPL is a ‘black hole’ in which resources of tax payers are being dumped”, Guyanese in general, more so this party’s many supporters must have suffered shameful embarrassment at such a statement that comes from a senior opposition politician.
It is indeed a political statement, but an inconsiderate and tragic one, given what one perceives may be his underlying motive(s).
No right thinking Guyanese would ever support such a statement, contemptuous of the many thousands of all ethnicities who are employed in both these institutions. One does not have to seek clarification from Greenidge as to what he means. It is definitely a case of advocating the withdrawal of much needed funding, that can only cause tragic consequences for the nation and thousands of workers.
Both these institutions are pivotal for their respective reasons, to the socio-economic development of Guyana. Surely Mr. Greenidge understands this. But his position, as plainly stated in the House, is one that must meet his grotesque, bizarre, and anti-national expectations.
Greenidge must be reminded, inter alia, that had the PNC government not shamefully neglected these two very important institutions mostly throughout their twenty-eight years in office, the challenges would not have been that marked, particularly with GuySuCo. It was because of this culture of neglect of the sugar industry that began the exodus of sugar workers.
The same must be said of GPL – branded GEC – in those painful years of continuous power failure, that caused many businesses to close; households having to dump foodstuff; and investors discouraged because of the unpredictable and irregular supply of power. Mr. Greenidge cannot claim ignorance of these cold hard facts! He helped overseer their causes.
Had the PPP/C administration not invested the billions of dollars in both these sectors, one shudders to imagine what the final consequences would have been for the nation. But, it is because of their wise recognition that Guyanese are worthy of better results from both these entities, coupled with the massive infusion of funding, that the following are a reality with regard both these sectors: A massive overhaul of the nation’s energy sector that has eliminated the frequent power outages that had been the norm; installations being positioned along the coastlands to make for a more efficient supply of electricity; and subsidies, to GPL, as is once again allocated in Budget 2013, that will remove the possibility of increase charges for consumers.
For the sugar industry: The investment in the Skeldon factory, that when the challenges are remedied, will revitalise the local sugar industry and many other strategies for the viability of sugar.
A significant realization is that in both instances, there has not been any downsizing; and this is because of the sustained, huge inputs as evidenced by the successive budgets. It is because of this pivotal intervention, that both of these sectors will continue to play key roles in the nation’s socio-economic development.
Mr. Greenidge: GuySuco and GPL are alive because of a wise and constructive government!