The GAWU recognized from a report appearing on Newsroom, Finance Minister, Winston Jordan was quoted as saying “Where the Ministry of Finance can help, it will help but what we will not do is to take any responsibility for the agriculture sector and specifically for GuySuCo”. Minister Jordan’s statement stands in direct contrast to that of his colleague Minister of Agriculture, Noel Holder who told the press, some weeks ago, that GuySuCo was no longer under his charge but responsibility has been transferred to the Finance Ministry. We could not fail to note, interestingly, that Minister Jordan took some weeks to correct what his colleague said and which was reported widely. We cannot help but wonder whether the intrigues, referred to by the FITUG and the GTUC, prompted the Minister’s comment.
The obvious and glaring confusion and the treatment of GuySuCo as seemingly as an unwanted step child is most disturbing especially recognizing that tens of thousands depend on the state-owned enterprise for their sustenance. We nevertheless find Minister Jordan’s statement peculiarly strange taking into account that the Minister on December 29, 2017 signed an order which vested the shares of GuySuCo that are held by the State or GuySuCo or any other State corporation or agency to the National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL).
The Minister’s order, in effect, has made NICIL the sole shareholder of GuySuCo, which, as far as we are aware, falls under the Ministry of Finance. The GAWU believes it is time to stop the musical chairs approach to GuySuCo and the sugar industry.
