THE GuySuCo Commission of Inquiry, headed by its Chairman, Mr Vibert Parvatan, has handed over to Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture, Mr. George Jervis, documents detailing its findings and recommendations on the way forward for the sugar industry.These formalities were completed in the large Boardroom of the Ministry of Agriculture at Regent Road and Shiv Chanderpaul Drive in Georgetown.

Over the past three months, CoI members, guided by their terms of reference, deliberated on the future of the sugar industry through the development of a 15-year plan which is expected to bring the industry back to profitability.

Mr. Parvatan noted that, in going forward, the recommendations by the eleven-member CoI will ensure long-term environmental and economic sustainability.

“We (CoI) are pleased to have completed the study, which took into account critical issues and major constraints affecting the industry…. The CoI team remains thankful to the many organisations and people who assisted the work of the Commission,” Mr. Parvatan said.

Among the works carried out by the CoI over the past three months were: investigation of the current state of cane cultivation; factory operations; and production and marketing of sugar, molasses and other by-products. Emphasis was also placed on human resource capabilities; research and development; diversification of the industry; community obligations; weather events; marketing, finance, procurement; factory performance and management.

Permanent Secretary Mr. George Jervis lauded the efforts of the CoI, describing the members as competent in pronouncing on the future of the sugar industry.

This Commission of Inquiry was composed of the following members: Mr. Vibert Parvatan (Chairman), Prof. Clive Thomas (financial and economic analysis), Dr. Harold Davis and Mr. John Piggot (agronomists), Mr. John Dow and Mr. Joseph Alfred (factory operations), Mr. George James (sugar processing), Mr. Nowrang Persaud (industrial relations), Mr. Claude Housty (marketing); Mr. Seepaul Narine, GAWU representative; and Mr. Omadatt Chandan, who served as the commission’s secretary.

The document will now be handed over to the Hon. Noel Holder, Minister of Agriculture (who is presently on official business in Cancun, Mexico), after which it will be presented to Cabinet for further deliberations.