IN its own way, the APNU+AFC coalition has taken up my challenge to come clean on sugar. There can be no doubt now that the APNU+AFC has a plan for sugar: CLOSE IT DOWN!

I have, many times, spoken out on the intention of APNU+AFC to close sugar. I have written about my fears that APNU+AFC will close sugar. As Elections Day rapidly approaches, their pretence that they will not close sugar is being abandoned, and they are becoming bolder as they respond to a total rejection by sugar workers. If there is anyone who still harbours any thought that APNU+AFC will not close sugar, that person is being woefully fooled.

The APNU+AFC Manifesto is a contract with people. The “official” manifesto takes a “hold me/loose me” position, and the APNU+AFC has outlined no plan for sugar other than a plan to investigate sugar. Their previously released manifesto, the one they rushed to withdraw because it revealed their sinister plan, was contradictory, with one page literally outlining a plan that was taken word for word from GuySuCo’s present business plan, and on the next page it alluded to the suitability of the cane fields for rearing tilapia.

Moses Nagamootoo, who not so long ago stated unambiguously that he is not an Indian and does not wish to be considered an Indian-Guyanese, shamefully took to the podium at the Indian Arrival Day ceremony at Highbury in Berbice. If that was shameless, then his statement on sugar workers revealed APNU+AFC’s vulgar plan to close sugar.

Nagamootoo, who likes to “run his mouth”, revealed that displaced sugar workers would be given some of the abandoned sugar cane fields for agriculture, thereby for the first time admitting that the plan to close sugar is real. He repeated what has often been said by various officials of APNU and AFC, that the cane fields are ideal for fish.

BREAKING NEWS: APNU+AFC, which did not include a plan for sugar in its manifesto, has a secret plan for the displaced sugar workers, according to Moses Nagamootoo!

At a recent meeting at Angoy’s Avenue in New Amsterdam, Nagamootoo made it clear that APNU+AFC will close sugar. He was joined by another candidate, Paul Austin, who reiterated the plan to close sugar. This followed several ambiguous statements on Berbice TV by people like Mr. Veerasammy Ramayya, Mr. Rajendra Bissessar, and Mr. Charandass Persaud, all of whom sought to talk about tilapia in the sugar cane fields.

We must recall that, early last year, at an official APNU Media Conference, it was stated that sugar should be closed; and we can further recall that Mr. Ramjattan agreed with that call. We must also recall that, as Minister of Agriculture, I challenged APNU+AFC to come clean and tell us what their plans are for sugar, “no ifs ands or buts”.

They never took up my challenge, which has been repeated many times, particularly in the last two months. Their only response to me was that sugar was a “black hole”, and that the sugar workers were not their concern.

Let Messrs. Greenidge and Nagamootoo deny they said these things! Mr. Granger must state now that he disagrees with these persons from his APNU+AFC. Let him, as the Presidential Candidate and as the leader of an unholy alliance called the APNU+AFC, tell us that he dissociates himself from this wicked and absurd plan.

When Stanley Ming repeated the same thing about a month ago, I again asked the leadership of APNU+AFC to come clean and tell us if they would close sugar. They have not said anything to dispel our fears that they will displace 20,000 jobs and eliminate almost 7% of the total economy.

They continue to lie about their plans for sugar until now. They feel the rejection in all the sugar estates, and they believe that they can now tell the nation exactly what they plan because they know that they cannot get any vote in the sugar estates.

The PPP/C will never allow anyone to close sugar. We will invest in the next five years a minimum of $20B to ensure that sugar is one of the strongest industries in Guyana and in the Caribbean.

This election has come down to some simple equations. One of them is that the PPP/C will invest to make sugar stronger, and the APNU+AFC will close sugar. Guyanese are being asked to vote “yes” or “no” to this question.
We know the answer: Guyanese want a strong sugar industry.

DR. LESLIE RAMSAMMY