FORMER presidential advisor and outspoken economist, Ramon Gaskin has once again urged government to quit their wait in making immediate steps to resuscitate the ailing sugar industry, by closing operations before year-end.
Gaskin, who has been steadfast on the issues of the loss-making entity, has reiterated statements for the subsidies currently being pumped into the struggling Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo), be immediately redirected into reorienting and training workers that are expected to lose jobs as a result of the industry shrinking operations.

During his presentation on government’s State Paper on the future of the sugar industry in Parliament last week, Minister of Agriculture Noel Holder stated that GuySuCo would move to produce 147,000 tonnes of the sugar annually. Three sugar estates, Albion-Rose Hall, Blairmont and Uitvlugt-Wales will work to meet this quantity, which will be adequate for local and regional demand, while the other estates will be transformed into other productions to be determined by the ministry and GuySuCo.
Minister Holder told the Chronicle later, that a corporate plan is expected by month-end, detailing what will be done with an estimated 10,000 sugar workers.

Previously, talks of aqua-farming, and crop-rearing had emerged as alternate jobs, but Gaskin is adamant that there are several other industries that Guyana should be looking into, that would cost way less than the billions of dollars used to subsidise GuySuCo every year.
“What about factories: furniture workshops, automotive, and even bakeries? The thing is, we don’t think big,” Gaskin charged. He opined that bread from Georgetown is making its way into communities in Bartica, Berbice and other far-flung places, when these communities could have their own bakeries, Gaskin charged that, poultry, pig tails and salted fish make up some foreign items in supermarkets, when Guyana can produce these very items instead of having just a hand- full of large producers or very few small-scale producers.

Gaskin posited that as much as $25M could be expended on a pig-rearing project, and as little as $5M toward poultry in communities such as Wales and even Buxton. All this contributing to government’s “village economy” initiatives, he opined.
The economist continued that Guyana must now become industrial, increasing its production, while expending finances on training and educating. If GuySuCo closes its targeted estates now, Gaskin indicated that, “that same money [subsidies] could be used to train and finance new industries.”

This too will help with foreign exchange. He said that being able to provide for local needs, limits foreign dependency, helps lower external debts, creates jobs, and improves the work force through training and specialisation.
On a broader note, Gaskin suggested that government through its Education Ministry review the certification regime to include an all-inclusive certificate akin to America’s GED, for adults in Guyana who left secondary school without their CXCs. It would have some equivalent to secondary school training and would assist young adults particularly, in finding work. The GuySuCo matter Gaskin opined, should open the government’s eyes to the broader need of restructuring the country’s internal finance-generating layout, rather than making financial and governing determinations on, “a macro-view, exchange- rate stability,  debt to GDP ratio etc.”

Within 18 months of taking office, the A Partnership for National Unity+ Alliance For Change (AFC) government had expended some $18B in subsidies to GuySuCo. By year-end, it’s expected to have consumed some $18B more; notwithstanding the billions of dollars already subsidised by the then People’s Progressive Party (PPP) government over the years.
Gaskin has however commended the government for not buckling under opposing pressure in doing what was necessary for GuySuCo. Gaskin has stated repeatedly that the sugar workers’ union, GAWU, has played a negative and divisive role in partnering for the betterment of the industry.
GAWU’s membership could significantly dwindle when workers head into different industries.