Building sustainable and resilient enterprises and communities

By Audreyanna Thomas, Senior Communications Officer, GuySuCo

AS THE Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) continues to strategize to transform itself into a resilient and sustainable business, it is critical that consideration be given to the communities which emerged from sugar.The vibrancy of the economy in many of these communities is still heavily dependent on the estates meeting targets. Moving forward, the development programme in many of these communities has to expand beyond dependence on the sugar industry.
The debate is currently focused on GuySuCo transitioning the Wales Estate from sugar to other ventures, and the possible negative impacts this can have on communities, many of which are subjective.

The transitioning of the Wales Estate and the financial issues of GuySuCo are no doubt a challenge; but these considerations have also created a remarkable opportunity for the emergence of communities with greater economic and social balance. The conversation about GuySuCo has to progress to include developing sustainable and resilient communities and enterprises.

The ‘New GuySuCo’ concept, which includes sugar cane cultivation and sugar production and the Diversification Division, was recently launched. It means therefore that the economic characteristics of communities around sugar estates will change. The current economic focus for many communities is on sugar cane cultivation, and the income generated from sugar workers goes back into these communities. Consequently, as the configuration of GuySuCo changes to include aquaculture, growing fruit crops and engaging in livestock and dairy farming, it is expected that the economic activities and flow of these communities would also be adjusted.

IMPACT ON COMMUNITIES
As stated above, it is clear that the Corporation has to move in the direction of diversification, therefore it is expected that communities will exploit new opportunities which will be created by GuySuCo.

The Corporation is aware that this transition will not be automatic or even easy for these communities; however, it will undoubtedly become necessary, hence it would be strategic for relevant agencies within these communities to commence and deepen discussions on resilient and sustainable communities and enterprises.

GuySuCo cannot become a profitable business enterprise by focusing only on sugar as its core business; therefore, ‘sugar dependent communities’ will have to transform. The Corporation is also strategizing to evolve as a sustainable and resilient business enterprise. In the short term, the aim is to navigate through these difficult times and, in the medium to long term, usher in a new phase of profitability.

DEVELOPING SUSTAINABLE ENTERPRISES IN COMMUNITIES
This is perhaps an appropriate point for related agencies and communities to commence or strengthen discussions and programmes on what are the preferred growth areas. This will allow for communities to adopt values, opportunities, skills and expertise, and constraints to determine the most beneficial aspects for sustained growth.

These engagements should also examine the fiscal and economic health of these communities; and an evaluation should be done on how to get better economic results not only from tapping into the ventures with GuySuCo, but also new private and other developments.

Another area for discussion will be the development of strategies for land use — for example, around the Wales Estate — thus a part of the strategic conversation should be to incorporate the review of the use of land in this level of planning.