THE Skeldon sugar factory had, up until Friday, not been able to begin its second crop operations, while the Uitvlugt Sugar factory had to suspend its operations, both due to an extended rainy period.

However, in a recent interview, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GUYSUCO), Mr. Paul Bhim informed the Guyana Chronicle that both factories would have begun grinding during the weekend.
Bhim said that harvesting for the Skeldon factory began last Wednesday, while canes for the Uitvlugt factory were burned on Wednesday and harvesting commenced on Thursday.
He advised that provisions were made for the workers of these estates, noting that those from Uitvlugt had been sent to the Wales and La Bonne Intention (LBI) Estates and those from Skeldon were working at the Blairmont estate. However, he indicated that all workers are now back to their respective posts.
The CEO related that work at the estates that have been in operation (that is Wales, LBI, Enmore, Albion, Blairmont and Rosehall) is beginning to “pick up” now that the weather has improved.
He advised that the bell loaders have not been able to work since the beginning of the crop, but they are not able to work with the improved weather condition.
Bhim stated that because of the inclement weather, and factories not being able to work to full capacity, the production figure so far is a dismal 26,170 tonnes.
Meanwhile, Agriculture Minister Dr. Leslie Ramsammy had stated in a recent interview that Skeldon has been ready to start grinding for several weeks now.
He explained that the factory requires cane which is also available. However, he advised that the issue arises in getting the canes from the fields to the factory.
Weather Dependent
“To get the cane from the fields to the factory is weather dependent and we have not had the kind of weather to begin operations,” he remarked.
Ramsammy stated that at present the grounds at Skeldon are not ready for the machines to get to the fields since they are too wet. At the time of the interview, he noted that while the weather was good, the forecasts for that areais not very positive.
“Indeed the outlook for the next couple of weeks in August and early in September is a continuation of the weather we have had in mid-July and early August, a kind of La Nina situation. More rain expected but I am keeping my fingers crossed,” he said.
Noting that the operations at the Uitvlugt factory were started but then suspended, the minister said that while they are also hoping to restart operations there, the forecast for that area also indicates some rain.
Meanwhile, he noted that GUYSUCO has found alternative work for those workers who are affected by the closed estates.
The minister noted, though, that there was a unique situation where Albion workers went on strike because they were unwilling to share the work with the workers from Skeldon.
“It wasn’t any greediness or so, it was just a concern that if they have additional workers and use up the cane and reduce the length of their crop that they’re going to be affected in the long run. So they were looking to ensure that they have enough work to keep them occupied,” he explained.
The minister pointed out, however, that the Albion, Rose Hall and Blairmont Estates have been doing very well.
“I know that these three factories have been able to meet targets for this crop. In fact I am told that at this stage they are doing better than they did in the second crop of last year,” he said.
Meanwhile, noting that the GuySuCo board, along with the boards of all the agricultural entities, are to be restructured, he advised that recommendations have been made in this regard and Cabinet is currently considering this.
He added that President Donald Ramotar had announced that within a month the GUYSUCO board is expected to be reconstituted. All the other boards, he said, should be reconstituted within a few weeks.
President of the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU), the largest representing body for employees in the sugar industry, Mr. Komal Chand said, in a recent interview, that he is aware that once a factory is not in operation, even in “out of crop” periods, alternative arrangements are made for workers.
Chand further stated that rain has indeed affected the reaping of canes, especially in the use of mechanical harvesters and bell loaders, noting that these equipment cannot operate in wet soil.
As such, he said that operations at Skeldon and Uitvlugt, and periodically the other factories, were affected.
Nevertheless, Chand said that the weather has improved and hopefully good weather will remain for a substantial amount of time.