-packaging facilities to be constructed and expanded at Albion and Blairmont Estates

THE Government of Guyana has allocated some $4 billion to the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) in the 2023 Budget for the continued development of the industry.

This was announced by Senior Minister within the Office of the President with responsibility for Finance, Dr Ashni Singh, on Monday, during the presentation of the budget, at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre.

In spite of the depressing state of the estates caused by previous subpar management, the Finance Minister said during his speech that the government’s commitment to the sugar industry is firm.

Dr. Ashni Singh said that money will be allocated for the commencement of the construction of the Albion Packaging Plant and the expansion of the capacity of the Blairmont Packaging Plant.

The sugar industry will not be left behind as the government plans to not only invest in a drying machine to improve the quality of our packaged sugar but also, a stick packaging machine for the production of smaller sachets of sugar to cater to the needs of the premium markets.

The minister further highlighted that despite being an important pillar in our economy, the agriculture sector has endured extreme neglect.

In 2017, the Wales, Skeldon, Rose Hall, and Enmore sugar estates were closed and saw over 7,000 sugar workers being severed.

“We remain committed to the revitalisation and restructuring of the sugar industry to support a diversified and modernised sector, ensuring its sustainability and economic viability,” Dr. Ashni Singh said.

The government, since taking office in August 2020, has been focused on the rehabilitation of assets and retooling of the estates.

One of the first decisions the government took, after being elected to office, was to reopen the shuttered estates and factories and to reemploy the fired sugar workers.
In fulfilling the government’s commitment to “breathe life” back into Guyana’s sugar industry, the GuySuCo hired some 1,479 persons between 2020 and 2022.

The minister further noted that over 5,000 workers who were severed in 2016 and 2017 have each received a $250,000 cash grant in 2021.

In 2022, the government further increased the capitalisation in Albion, Uitvlugt and Blairmont Estates and remodeled the marketing and sales mix to move away from the sale of raw bulk sugar to a packaged, higher value-added product.

Moreover, it is expected that grinding operations at Rose Hall Estate will begin during the second crop of 2023, all in keeping up with the promises within the manifesto.