THE Rose Hall Estate has surpassed its production target this week, a milestone which underscores the estate’s progress and the dedication of its workforce in revitalising sugar production and as a result, workers were rewarded with an additional day’s pay.

Minister of Agriculture, Zulfikar Mustapha, who met with sugar workers in Canefield, East Canje, Berbice on Saturday, emphasised the government’s commitment to rebuilding and modernising the sugar industry. He stated that nearly $12 billion was invested in the re-opening of the Rose Hall Estate.

The Rose Hall Estate currently provides employment for 1,219 workers, and according to the Agriculture Minister, this not only ensures a steady source of income for these individuals, but also directly benefits their families and the wider community. He emphasised that the estate’s operations play a crucial role in supporting livelihoods and strengthening the local economy.
“Today I am happy that Rose Hall Estate is operational and they are going back to their former days, they told me they made a day’s pay so that means the estate is getting back to where it was prior to its closure.”

Mustapha told the sugar workers and residents gathered that Canje, which had become a “ghost town” following the estate’s closure, is now regaining its footing as economic activity picks up. With money circulating once again in the community, businesses are experiencing renewed growth and families are experiencing improved financial stability, he added.

In explaining the rebuilding of the sugar estate, Mustapha said that the factory had to be overhauled along with the fields and pieces of machinery as everything was left abandoned following the closure by the previous APNU+AFC government. According to him, now the Rose Hall Estate has mechanised 27% of their operations thus far.

With a target of 104,000 metric tonnes of sugar this year, the minister said, “I am hoping that they can make it because what we have now in the system, because we have better variety of canes, the factory is more efficient.”

Additionally, he said that he has been meeting with GuySuCo’s management which remains a concern as he warned that managers found silencing workers will face serious consequences.
The Agriculture Minister told the sugar workers, “We are here in the good times, we are here in the bad times and we will be here for the rest of the times to ensure that we work with you to develop the country.”