—says gov’t is prepared to give the union a direct management role as GuySuCo pursues reforms, performance improvements

PRESIDENT Dr. Irfaan Ali has publicly challenged the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU) to step beyond traditional bargaining and take up the management of a sugar estate as a model operation.
Speaking at Enmore during the commemoration of Enmore Martyrs Day, the President said his government is prepared to give the union a direct role in running an estate alongside workers, as part of efforts to test new management models in the sugar industry.
“Just as we’ve invited proposals for the sugar estates, and we have coming in for Skeldon, we also invited the union, if you would like to take up the mantle of management and to take one of the estates and make it your model, we give you that challenge openly,” Ali told the gathering.

He framed the invitation as an extension of the government’s commitment to partnership with labour.
“We invite you to be part of the management also, because that is what good, responsible government does, it invites everyone to be part of the table, to be a part of the table. Do not shy away from the opportunity. We are here to work with you,” the President added.
President Ali linked the proposal to wider reforms aimed at modernising the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo), insisting that the revival of sugar “does not rest with management alone” but with all stakeholders, including the union and workers.
Meanwhile, GAWU’s President Seepaul Narine framed the current turnaround efforts in sugar as part of a historic struggle that stretches from slavery and indentureship through colonial brutality to modern-day political choices.
The GAWU President highlighted that in Budget 2026 the government allocated $13.4 billion to the sugar industry for modernisation, mechanisation, factory upgrades and expanded value-added production.
This was followed by a supplementary budget which allocated an additional $3 billion to GuySuCo, taking the total allocation for 2026 to $16.4 billion.
He insisted that with such significant State support, GuySuCo’s management “can do better and must do better”.
Last month, President Ali had signalled imminent management changes, and a technical overhaul at underperforming GuySuCo estates.

He had made it clear that the focus will be on estates that have consistently failed to deliver, with particular attention on top-level leadership.
“You’ll definitely see action on some of these estates that have not performed. They must be, especially at the senior management level and the head office at these places, the estates there needs to be some rationalisation,” he had said.
It was previously reported that the Corporation closed 2025 with production of approximately 59,200 tonnes of sugar, falling short of even its already reduced final-crop target of 60,000 tonnes.