THE Guyana Sugar Corporation Inc. (GuySuCo) has issued a strong response to recent statements made by Member of Parliament (MP) Vinceroy Jordan, which appeared in the Monday, September 16, 2024 edition of Stabroek News.
GuySuCo described Jordan’s claims as “reckless exaggeration” and accused him of spreading misinformation devoid of factual basis in an attempt to gain political mileage.

In response to Jordan’s allegations of corruption within the corporation, GuySuCo firmly refuted the claims, calling them “purely nonsensical.” The corporation highlighted its financial transparency, noting that it is regularly audited by the Auditor General’s Office. GuySuCo confirmed that its most recent audit for the year 2022 had been completed and that preparations for the 2023 audit are currently underway.

GuySuCo emphasised that Jordan’s claims of corruption were misleading and mischievous. The corporation urged the MP to refrain from making such statements without concrete facts and figures.

ALBION ESTATE POWER PLANT
In response to Jordan’s concerns regarding the Albion Estate’s power plant, GuySuCo confirmed that an investigation was indeed conducted by the Guyana Fire Service. The resulting report, along with engineering estimates, led to the calculation of remedial costs amounting to 600 million Guyana dollars, as stated by Minister of Agriculture Zulfikar Mustapha. GuySuCo also noted that the procurement process for two critical components, power generator sets and transformers, is ongoing and is being conducted in accordance with the corporation’s standard operating procedures.
Furthermore, GuySuCo stated that remedial works on the power plant had been successfully completed, enabling the factory to operate in full production mode for the second crop of 2024.

ALLEGED MISSING SUGAR AT ROSE HALL
Responding to Jordan’s claims of missing sugar at Rose Hall, GuySuCo categorically denied any such occurrence. Instead, the corporation explained that the issue involved a breach in the standard operating procedure for sugar declaration over an extended period. This breach resulted in an over-declaration of sugar, which was treated as a serious misconduct. Consequently, the Production Manager and the Head Laboratory Technician were dismissed for their roles in the incident.
GuySuCo expressed frustration over what it called a baseless accusation from Jordan, urging him to be more responsible in his public statements.
GuySuCo reiterated its commitment to transparency and ethical conduct in its operations. The corporation emphasised that it remains focused on fulfilling its mandate and ensuring that all procurement and production processes are conducted with integrity. In closing, GuySuCo called for a more fact-based dialogue, especially when addressing critical national industries such as sugar.