–President Ali tells corporation’s officials, highlights need for sweeping changes in order to return sugar industry to viability
PRESIDENT Dr. Irfaan Ali has engaged the leadership of the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) on the company’s strategic direction with the intention of improving its efficiency and effectiveness.
The President met with 180 senior officials and managers of the sugar corporation at State House in Georgetown, on Tuesday.
There, the Head of State recommended on-the-spot solutions aimed at improving communication, management and direction of the corporation.
“We are not investing all of these resources in GuySuCo for failure. The restructuring and strengthening of GuySuCo is not a joke. When we said we want to make this industry viable, it is not a mystery,” Dr. Ali said.
The President underscored that the corporation does not belong to any individual or group, but to the country.
He said: “Success does not start with money, success starts with the right attitude, success starts with teams, success starts with people and if we can’t get this fundamentally right, then we have no hope of being successful—absolutely no hope of being successful.”
President Ali also emphasised that it cannot be “business as usual anymore” and there must be sweeping changes.
IMPROVING EFFICIENCY
The President was informed that there is a high turnover rate for field workers; this hinders efficiency. But although this is a challenge, Dr. Ali said it is also an opportunity to look towards mechanisation.
Both estate managers of Albion and Blairmont indicated plans to improve their mechanisation to 60 per cent by 2026, through the increased usage of specialised tractors.
President Ali, however, noted that the time span for the completion of their target could be reduced by two years and could be achieved by 2024.
To this end, he tasked the Board of Directors and senior managers of the corporation to organise a sub-committee to do an analysis with the objective of implementation as soon as possible.
“I know the problem, I understand the problem and that is why we have to accelerate this mechanisation,” Dr. Ali said.
COLLECTIVE THINKING AND ACTION
President Ali also tasked the senior officials to have a weekly management meeting to improve communication and management. He noted that the corporation will not advance if persons have different visions.
“People depend on us, and I depend on you. At the end of the day, the buck stops at my office. The same exercise conducted this morning at the senior level I want to be conducted at the estate level and junior staff level,” the Head of State said.
The President also implored the senior officials to visit all of the estates and speak to all of the employees.
“I want all personality issues in this organisation to be stripped today.” He also challenged the managers to be humble in the execution of their duties. An organisation requires collective thinking and action,” President Ali said.
Director-General of the Ministry of Agriculture, Madanlall Ramraj; Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture, Delma Nedd and Director of Projects at the Office of the President, Mrs. Marcia Nadir-Sharma, were also at the meeting.
