THERE is no question that the sugar industry is important as a means of employment and revenue for workers and others in Guyana. What many taxpayers and others do not know is whether the management or workers realise that no business can survive forever, if its existence is based on public subsidies, without their cooperation in making it successful.  A given constant is that management is always talking about weather or worker strikes or absenteeism to explain production shortfalls for their over optimistic projections or new plans to solve them. On the other hand, the union or workers seem to ignore the fact that strikes and high absenteeism cannot but make it impossible to pay the higher salaries or bonuses to workers.  If the annual target was not reached, certainly a strike would not help the situation.
It is time for all stakeholders, including workers to consider all alternatives, including restructuring phases of the operation, outside experts or outsourcing management, splitting up the operations to allow private ownership and possible use of land for diverse products.
Unless, there is an adequate number of workers, be it local or foreign. the hope of achieving the highest sugar production levels possible will not occur.  Sugar workers deserve better pay, but the industry must show a profit.  Perhaps, profit sharing would be a more effective method to force all parties to work for the industry’s success. Taxpayers demand better results and an end in sight from subsidies.
It is time to completely re-evaluate all aspects of sugar production and plan accordingly, if the industry is to break even in our lifetime.  Hope is not a solution, facing facts and using workable solutions represent not only an economic but political reality.

N. AUGUSTUS