Dear Editor,
HAVING read an opinion piece from Mr. Gobin Harbhajan (APNU+AFC Regional Democratic Councillor & Former SEI Board Director) in a letter to the press (SN, Aug. 24th, 2017), I am compelled to offer some comments using verifiable facts on the subjects articulated to support privatisation of the industry.

1. If Mr. Harbhajan is au fait with recent history or had lived in Guyana during the period 2009-2015, he ought to know that the present IMC members of GuySuCo (Mr. Hanoman & Mr. Bhim) functioned as Chief Executive Officers (CEO) of GuySuCo consecutively in the periods 2009 to mid-2010 and mid-2010 to mid-2014. In the period mid-2014 to mid-2015, Mr. Raj Singh was the CEO. Using Mr. Harbhajan’s rationale for the decline of GuySuCo, it follows that theft, squandermania, mismanagement, cronyism, poor investment decisions, etc. are synonymous with Mr. Hanoman and Mr. Bhim. Incidentally, these persons have been managing the industry since mid-2015. It is therefore logical to surmise that the decline will continue as evident in performances since mid-2015.

2. The RDC Councillor concludes that “nothing ever worked” at Skeldon. Editor, it is Mr. Harbhajan who hosted the press at Skeldon in December 2016 to address the issue of power for the Christmas season. In that press outing, he is quoted as saying in KN edition of 12/04/17: “The Wartsila engines are capable enough and will be able to supply 10 megawatts of power to the national grid. We want to make it clear that there is no problem at the co-gen plant; it is 100 per cent operational.” Now, can this elected official explain how nothing ever worked at Skeldon, yet the engines can supply10 megawatts of power and the cogeneration plant is 100 percent operational?

3. Mr. Harbhajan attributes the downfall of Wales estate to “voodoo crop husbandry.” I urge Mr. Harbhajan to speak with IMC members (Mr. Hanoman & Mr. Bhim) as it was they who had approved this “voodoo crop husbandry policy.” I hope that Mr. Harbhajan is also fully aware that the “voodoo crop husbandry” policy is in full force, causing Blairmont and Uitvlugt cultivations to be destroyed by rodents over the last 1 ½ years.

4. We are now advised by Mr. Harbhajan that Skeldon should be the model for privatisation. Before moving to Skeldon, this nation was lectured by GuySuCo and Government about the Wales model for diversification. Can Mr. Harbhajan present this nation with a progress report on Wales diversification? Show us the diversification plan and its achievements along with income and expenditure at Wales since closure of sugar operations in December 2016. Once there is hard evidence to convince the citizenry that the Wales diversification model is yielding profits and jobs, then, consideration can be given to any other model.

I urge Mr. Harbhajan to respect the intellect of Guyanese and desist from spewing lies and half-truths on subjects he is not proficient in. While Mr. Harbhajan is from a different era, he must appreciate a fact that the technological age allows citizens to access information via a few clicks.

Regards
Sookram Persaud