Dear Editor,

I READ with concern the article on the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) published in the local media on September 19, 2025. The piece appeared to suggest that His Excellency Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali is seeking to move away from sugar production, despite his repeated and emphatic statements that “sugar is here to stay”.
I have remained largely silent on matters relating to the Guyanese sugar industry while awaiting the completion of the 2023 audit, believing it was my professional responsibility to allow for an independent and objective assessment of my tenure (2020–2023) before engaging in public commentary.
With the publication of the 2023 Audited Financial Statements, it would be remiss of me, as a former Chief Executive of GuySuCo (with operational oversight from September 2020 to December 2023), not to reflect on recent developments.
Editor, please allow me to provide some context before addressing the article. Upon assuming operational leadership at Guysuco in September 2020, the last published audited financial statements dated back to 2015. Over the next three years, I assembled a dedicated finance team to prepare audit working papers for 2016 through 2023.
This was accomplished while leading a financially distressed and complex corporation, heavily impacted by the Great Floods of 2021, which destroyed 28% of standing cane after 65 days of flooding in Berbice. Completing eight years’ worth of audit documentation (2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023) in three years was no small feat, and I wish to formally acknowledge the professionalism and dedication of the team under my leadership that made it possible.
Regarding the newspaper article, the statements throwing shades on His Excellency public pronouncements while he was meeting farmers at Skeldon on September 17, 2025, were rather unfortunate and the newspapers should have done more research on this matter before rushing to print this one-sided article. As an example, the piece claims from a quoted source the following:
“Now, from his (meaning the President) statements and deliberations, he placed a lot of emphasis on citrus and other crops at Skeldon, as if he was psychologically telling the people, don’t worry about sugar. … It is the intention of the PPP not to rehabilitate the sugar industry.”
Such assertions prematurely prejudge the President’s strategy without understanding the broader policy context. Any thoughtful Guyanese must consider the following:
Global Cane Sugar Industry Dynamics
While cane sugar remains in demand, global competition, price volatility, and the rise of alternative sweeteners have transformed the industry. Even historically strong sugar economies have had to modernise, diversify, or subsidise production to remain viable. Oversimplifying this complex landscape misrepresents economic realities.
Government Action is Not Neglect
President Ali has consistently demonstrated commitment to revitalising sugar, exemplified by the G$7 billion investment to reopen Rose Hall Estate, and at the same time creating over 1,400 sustainable jobs. Revitalisation does not imply that all land must remain in sugar cane; rather, it seeks to optimise productivity and profitability. Introducing complementary crops such as citrus, coffee, and cocoa at Skeldon can enhance returns and supports the sugar sector directly and indirectly.
Pragmatic Crop Distribution
The introduction of other food crops partially on lands previously occupied by sugar cane is a cross-subsidisation strategy designed to make the agricultural operations at Skeldon financially sustainable. Modern agricultural policy rarely relies on a single crop. By incorporating complementary crops with their associated value-added industries like juice plants, the Government is ensuring food security is advanced, jobs are created, and the local farmers are given a fighting chance as partners in the modernisation efforts in the Upper Corentyne.
Expert Engagement and Knowledge Transfer
The engagement of Brazilian experts, alongside consultation like the late Guyanese soil scientist Dr. Udho Homenauth, was instrumental in shaping land conversion strategies for the sugar industry between 2021–2023. Dr. Homenauth demonstrated that much of the so-called topsoil was depleted (mainly situated in the trenches), confirming that previous land conversion strategies were ineffective. By adopting modern techniques, the Corporation increased mechanically plantable and harvestable acreage from 18% in 2021 to 40% in 2023 at lower costs—unprecedented progress compared to the previous 20 years.
Further support from international expertise, including EMBRAPA (the Brazilian Agricultural Research Agency), has also facilitated sustainable and profitable conversion of intermediate savannah lands, allowing local production of corn, soya, and stockfeeds on lands previously not contributing to the food security ambition of the people of Guyana. These initiatives demonstrate a clear business case for profitable, evidence-based agricultural transformation using our partners in Brazil and now the Dominican Republic to move up the food value chain. Isn’t that what we all want, more profit from every acre?
In conclusion, President Ali’s approach at Skeldon is not a “smoke screen” but a responsible strategy to maximise underutilised resources, create jobs, and promote national development. GuySuCo’s challenges are structural, requiring modernisation, investment, and cross-subsidisation, which the Government is actively pursuing in partnership with the private sector. Misrepresenting these initiatives as failures undermines the tangible progress being achieved.
The strategic introduction of complementary crops alongside sugar cane reflects foresight, pragmatism, and commitment to sustainable agricultural development. These actions align with a vision of profitability, resilience, and food security for Guyana. With a 36-seat majority, I believe the Guyanese people have entrusted His Excellency to advance these initiatives to fruition, and patience and understanding are essential as these projects continue to mature.

Sincerely,
Sasenarine Singh
Former Chief Executive
Guyana Sugar Corporation