The Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU) cannot help but once again express concern that the Government’s largest enterprise – the Guyana Sugar Corporation Inc (GuySuCo) – has been operating without a Board of Directors for several months. Information reaching the Union indicates that nearly half a year has gone by since the Corporation’s last Board meeting.
Media reports had indicated Minister of Agriculture, Noel Holder last saying that the Board would have been appointed at the end of June, 2018. We recall prior to that he had said that the Board would have been in place by the end of May, 2018. Previously, there were other timelines that were set and simply ignored. The shifting goalpost by the Minister and the Administration, for us, is extremely worrying. It serves to demonstrate, in our view, that a glancing concern, if so much, is paid to the operations of the sugar industry and the well-being of the thousands who still depend on the industry for their livelihood and well-being.
We firmly believe that the naming of a Board of GuySuCo is a task not as difficult as the Government is making it out to be. Therefore, we are at a loss for the protracted delay in the appointment of the Board especially at a time when the Corporation requires decisive and competent leadership. At this time, when the Corporation has secured a $30B bond financing package aimed at turning the industry around the absence of a capable Board is especially disturbing. Quickly a Board should be named having recognized that so far, to the best of our knowledge, no plan has been presented that will guide the expenditure of this significant sum which has to be repaid with interest. Recognizing that serious deficiency we see the need for the urgent appointment of a Board to guide the Corporation at this time.
The GAWU, once again, calls on the Government and more so Minister Holder to bring the charade to an end and to appoint a capable, competent and respectable Board that will enjoy the support of the workers and that will be able to guide and lead the Corporation at this time.
