PRESIDENT David Granger on Monday met with executives from United Kingdom (UK) based sugar and ethanol trading, advisory and supply chain management firm, CZARNIKOW at the National Liberal Club in London, to discuss the re-organisation of the sugar sector and the development of a competitive marketing strategy for the Guyana Sugar Corporation Incorporated (GuySuCo).
The meeting occurred even as Government looks at making the sugar industry more competitive in light of local and global challenges, a statement from the Ministry of the Presidency said.

CZARNIKOW, which has been working with the sugar company for a number of years, will engage with GuySuCo on the new strategic plan after the White Paper on the Future of the Sugar Industry is laid in the National Assembly on May 8, 2017,and debates are completed.
Associate Director, Mr. John Ireland and Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Robin Cave met with the President, as well as Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Carl Greenidge and High Commissioner, Mr. Hamley Case. The Head of State said that Guyana needs technical support even as the country looks toward the consolidation of the industry in order to make it more competitive.
This, he said, would be done through a combination of the maintenance of the Albion, Blairmont and Uitvlugt sugar estates, private sector investment and the promotion of peasant farming. President Granger said that a push towards increased value added production is important to the future of the industry.

Currently, the sector employs about 17,000 people and the President emphasised the need for investment in order to ensure viability and increased efficiency in the industry. The meeting also allowed discussions on ways to consolidate Guyana’s access to the British market in light of Brexit, the term coined to describe the United Kingdom’s impending withdrawal from the EU. This matter is at the top of the agenda for discussions, during the President’s visit to the UK this week, but Guyana’s marketing strategy for sugar is also likely to include improving access to EU markets and the expansion of marketing arrangements in the Caribbean Community (CARICOM).
Over the next few days President Granger will engage in a series of high-level meetings in addition to the Caribbean Council’s Annual Reception at the House of Lords and the Investment Seminar on Guyana. While there, the President will also meet with Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II and Rt. Hon. Baroness Anelay of St Johns DBE,as well as the Guyanese diaspora in London.

Meanwhile,Minister of State, Joseph Harmon,speaking at a public meeting in Den Amstel, West Coast Demerara on Sunday,told residents Government will restructure the industry and simultaneously change the way in which resources are allocated. These steps he posited are necessary for the effective utilization of tax payers’ dollars, noting that in the long run, Government will be in a better position to do more for citizens. Government’s plans for the future of the Sugar Industry will be clearly stated in a White Paper which will be laid in the National Assembly on May 8, 2017.

A ‘White Paper’ is a government report giving information or proposals on an issue. The draft White Paper on the sugar industry’s future was submitted by Minister of Agriculture,Noel Holder,to Cabinet for its consideration at its Tuesday, April 18 meeting.
Harmon had noted that discussions on the White Paper will surround the feasibility of amalgamating some of the sugar estates and factories where appropriate, the requirement for divestment of some facilities, and the utilisation of some of the facilities of the estates, particularly the land, for sugar workers and cane farmers to undertake agro-based activities. In his 2017 budget presentation, Minister of Finance,Winston Jordan had said that the status quo of the sugar industry can neither be sustained nor maintained. According to the Finance Minister,as currently structured, the industry would require government’s support to the tune of $18.6 billion and $21.4 billion for the years 2017 and 2018, respectively. (Ministry of the Presidency)