Dear Editor,
AS first crop 2017 at GuySuCo continues, it appears that the cadillac-style IMC and the executive team are well on track to deliver the lowest-ever first crop production in recent memory. I say this because after six weeks of operation, the industry records a meagre 20,240t sugar or 27% of its crop target.

At this point in time, the industry should have delivered 35,697t or 48% of crop target. This explains the magnitude of poor performance at this moment. In seven weeks from now, we will be well into May and the rainy season will cause a cessation of the crop.
The poor run in this crop is not unique to a particular estate however, output at Rose Hall and East Demerara Estates have a bearing on a disenchanted and demoralized workforce because of the CEO’s plan to close those estates. The proposed closures by GuySuCo, the employer, have created a volatile industrial relations climate and the corporation’s CEO and executives seem to have great difficulty to comprehend a fact of life, that is, whenever a person’s livelihood is taken away he/she will naturally respond/react, especially when no alternative is immediately available. Maybe, if Gov’t terminates the services of some executives and managers, they will appreciate the plight of disenchanted workers, and can comprehend that fact of life.

An examination of performance at Albion, Blairmont and Uitvlugt shows that these estates are converting cane to sugar at a rate of 11.89, 12.54 and 13.42, respectively. This is too high according to standards set by these very estates in previous years. Albion and Blairmont factories typically operate continuously, but this is not happening now because of cane supply and mill problems. Low grinding times per week and inefficiency at Uitvlugt have been issues for many years now. It did not commence in 2015, but it seems to have worsened since. GuySuCo’s CEO somehow convinced government that his plan to close Wales will solve Uitvlugt’s problems. Readers, here we are in March 2017, Wales Estate remains closed and Uitvlugt continues to operate approximately 50-100hrs/week and takes 13-14t cane to make it bulk sugar. One wonders whether Dr Clive Thomas or the Hon Minister examines performance data from GuySuCo or whether current performance levels are acceptable by their standards.

Regards
Sookram Persaud