–investors tell President Ali; point to employment, economic opportunities to be created

PRESIDENT Dr. Irfaan Ali recently met with investors advancing the development of a 100,000-tonne white sugar refinery at the former Wales Sugar Estate, a project that is expected to boost Guyana’s sugar industry and strengthen the regional supply chain.
The refinery is being established by local company Gaico Inc. in partnership with US-based Sucro, which has developed three similar facilities in the region, including the Caribbean Sugar Refinery and Santander Sugar in Belize. Once operational, the plant is expected to create a dedicated and reliable market for sugar produced by the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo).
According to the investors, the project will generate approximately 75 jobs during its construction phase and an additional 60 permanent jobs once operations begin. The refinery is expected to be completed and operational within a year.
They noted that the venture will help reduce the Caribbean’s dependence on imported refined sugar, as the partnership already has access to a well-established logistics network to support regional distribution.
The development forms part of ongoing efforts to revitalise the former Wales Estate, which has been earmarked for major agro-industrial investment since the closure of sugar operations there in 2017.