The editorial of the September 21 Kaieteur News titled “Sugar’s glorious days over” contended that sugar glory days can never be rekindled and pointed to the ending of preferential arrangements as the industry’s seeming death knell. According to the Kaieteur News, the European Union (EU) arrangements were unsustainable and pointed out that Tate and Lyle subsequently withdrew itself as it was operating at a loss. It seems that the Kaieteur News was misinformed since, as far as we are aware, Tate and Lyle had never withdrawn from the EU arrangements and on to this day is still purchasing Guyana’s sugar. In fact, Tate and Lyle is willing to purchase any quantity of Guyana’s sugar, however, the end of the EU Sugar Regime has now made it a market of last resort for GuySuCo.
The editorial also claims that successive Governments financially supported the industry because of political considerations and, from all appearances, has congratulated this Government for being brave and shutting down estates which has put 7,000 people on the breadline and have impacted the lives of tens of thousands more Guyanese. Today against the congratulatory expressions of Kaieteur News, the September 20, Stabroek News reported that Ramnarace Chandradatt said he cannot afford to buy medicine for his wife who is blind and is suffering from a heart ailment and he is unsure whether he can afford to send his children to attend school until the term ends. Patrick Mahendrasingh said “[t]his government want me to commit suicide or murder just to send me children to school…”. While, Nakisha Best said she had to send two of her three children to live with her mother in Georgetown as she is unable to support them. Is this what the Kaieteur News is applauding?
The paper then says the Government “…is currently looking at more viable ways in which it can preserve a better livelihood for those directly affected…”. We cannot help but wonder if this is not putting the cart before the horse. Certainly, if the Government was indeed sincere about putting the workers first, wouldn’t it have already devised and implemented workable alternatives to ensure that the workers do not experience the pain and difficulties they now face. Let’s recall that when the Government decided it would close Wales Estate it said it would pursue non-sugar crops on the now former cane lands which would have been a source of employment for those who would be displayed. Today, Wales has been closed for over 600 days and the promised non-sugar ventures have hardly, if ever, gotten off the ground. We contend they that shouldn’t now be “looking at more viable ways”, the Administration should have finished looking and put in place the so-called “…viable ways…for those directly affected…”. The pretext of Administration’s sincerity stands nakedly exposed. We contend that what is good for the goose, is certainly good for the gander. On this score, referring to the possible jeopardy should RUSAL be unable to continue its operations in Guyana, Minister of Natural Resources Raphael Trotman said in the September 24, Stabroek News that “[w]e continue to monitor a very delicate situation…”. The Minister went on “[a]s these events are unfolding between Washington and Moscow we are unable to be intimately involved. Our Minister of Foreign Affairs is also monitoring the situation. Whatever the outcome, the welfare of the workers will be the responsibility of the Ministry of Social Protection and they are aware of the issues”.
The editorial also contends that the sugar workers have existed “…under horrible living conditions and poor compensation…”. The Kaieteur News contention is vastly different from what the Government told the nation. We recall Minister Noel Holder, apart from other Government officials, telling the nation repeatedly that sugar workers are earning millions annually and benefit from enhanced conditions of work. We do not recall the Kaieteur News, at any time, sharing the view it is now expressing. The GAWU accepts that workers conditions require improvement as time goes on but are far superior from since the Union became the bargaining agent on behalf of the field and factory workers. Nevertheless in view of the Kaieteur News’, seemingly, new-found view we have high expectations that it will lend its voice to call on the Government and GuySuCo to approve pay rise and other improvements of work to the sugar workers this year. Just for the newspaper’s information, sugar workers have not had any improvement in pay since the Coalition came into office.
The newspaper also says “…that the days of sugar as a viable enterprise with high economic returns and foreign currency returns are over”. If that is indeed the case, then the 70 interested parties who have expressed their interest to acquire the closed estates need to have their collective heads examined. We reiterate again that the future of the industry lies not as a raw, bulk sugar producer but a producer of diversified, income-inelastic products such as electricity, alcohol, refined sugar, packaged sugar, among other things. Those initiatives are incidentally some of the ventures that GuySuCo said it will pursue.
It seems the Kaieteur news, though it has not said it, is of the view that the monies directed to the sugar industry should not go there, for whatever reason. Let us recollect, that the allocations to GuySuCo, under the APNU+AFC, represent 3.98 per cent of the $968B that have been approved for spending across the four (4) budgets of the Government. Moreover, state support to critical industries is not the exception but the norm. The US Government, for instance, provides billions of dollars in subsidies to its farmers to ensure that they are able to stay in business recognizing the importance of the agricultural industry to the economy and rural employment and development. Certainly, with the significant sums Kaieteur News reports that would accrue to Guyana from oil and gas, our country could have more than afforded to support the industry and assisted to put it on a strong footing. Sugar more than deserves such support recognizing its contribution to the nation and its people. For instance, the 1992 budget records that the sugar levy in that year was equivalent to approxmiately 21 per cent of Government revenues.
Today while the Kaieteur News says sugar should be given a decent burial, our countrymen, women and children are suffering from the consequences of the closure. Today, things which seem so mundane such as sending their children to school; to provide adequate meals; to pay their bills and other things which were previously seen as run of the mill have become a challenge in themselves. Indeed, the GAWU holds that the Government should not abandon these people at what probably is the most difficult time in their lives. This is a time they need the support of Guyanese from all walks of life and they and their Unions will uphold and continue the struggle for their just cause.
