President David Granger, according to the October 04 Stabroek News, reported that he told attendees at a meeting held at the Corriverton Primary School on October 03 “…that his government had no choice but to close sugar estates…”. This is a sad and most unfortunate statement by the His Excellency and, it seems, maybe he was ill-advised by those who surround him. Contrary to his belief and stance, there were other choices, as they generally are in life. All the estates have really good possibilities of overcoming their difficulties and becoming viable and sustainable. Such feats, however, require a knowledgeable management, a committed workforce and a supportive government. It seems, from our point of view, that the latter was especially lacking.
Moreover apart from the profitability/cost arguments which appear to be the sole and only focus of the Administration, they are several societal considerations that must be taken on board. These matters were all put to the Administration and the pressing need for a socio-economic survey was advanced. Dismayingly, Vice President Khemraj Ramjattan, who ridiculously said previously God wanted the estates to be closed, closed his mind, ears and eyes to those suggestions and told the Unions and the Opposition – PPP/C – during a consultative meeting on February 03, 2017, that we (Unions and Opposition) should pursue such a study. The VP, from all appearances, seemed not to have understood his role as a Government leader. Today, all that we had previously warned have become the reality. Today, the jobless workers are facing pressingly difficult times and cannot make ends meet. Excellent work, by a few media houses, has brought the sad times of the workers to the nation’s attention. They have greatly touched the Guyanese people’s conscience and have demonstrated the callousness of the closure decisions.
We strongly disagree with the President that there was only one choice. Experience has thought us that they are never unilateral choices but we see unilateral decisions taken particularly with respect to the sugar industry.
Really, by now President Granger ought to be better informed of the situation in the sugar industry and of its real potentials.
