More to be done
The two-day testing of the Skeldon Sugar Modernization Plant (SSMP) has been a success despite delays and “hiccups” in the start-up process and the first batch of sugar is expected to be produced today.
- The control room at the sugar estate
The almost US$200M expansion project had experienced hurdles with the starting up of the factory. Vice-president of the contracting company, China National Technology Import/Export Corporation (CNTIC), Zhang Goudong assured that there are no serious problems and that “everything is working well.” He said the delay was due to technical issues as well as the long wait in transporting the equipment. More tests would be done in greater volumes and Goudong said that he would remain in Guyana until they are successfully completed.
Goudong also said that more local operators are needed to be trained as to how the system works in order to have a smooth and effective transition. Currently, a third of the old Skeldon factory staff is already working with Chinese staff in the operation of the new factory and more staff will be deployed when commercial operations begin.
During a tour at the factory yesterday, Minister of Agriculture Robert Persaud, told reporters that the “second round of testing indicated that the contractors have made some progress.” He said workers of Guysuco are working with the contractors to ensure that the factory works satisfactorily. The contractors would be handing over the factory to Guysuco at the completion of the testing and more personnel would be taken on board.
- Cane being fed into the grinder (Ministry of Agriculture photo)
The minister said that the factory represents a tremendous investment with the latest technology and as such it should have the right management to go forward. Persaud expressed dissatisfaction with Guysuco’s management and has said that in another two weeks Booker Tate would no longer be responsible for certain components of the factory.
In a recent statement, government had criticized the corporation’s drop in production and had ordered that immediate steps be taken to correct the situation. The statement said that “Production targets for the past several years are constantly being reduced and the litany of reasons has become wider, more all-embracing and repetitive.”
Last weekend Persaud held a special board meeting with general managers of all the estates as well as other senior employees at the La Bonne Intention (LBI) Estate to discuss additional steps to improve production.
He told the media that the agricultural department of Guysuco is the main slippage and that a new deputy chief executive would have to be appointed.
- An aerial view of the factory (Ministry of Agriculture photo)
Since the new factory was not operational for the start of the second sugar crop, the old Skeldon factory had to be pressed back into service. This means that the corporation will not likely meet its roduction target this year.
- Testing of the new Skeldon sugar factory in full swing yesterday
Some of us cannot even run our own kitchen without running out of stuff. Problems are everywhere.
This is good news; sugar-factories do indeed have their share of “teething troubles”, but eventually settle down. All the adverse publicity of the recent days, while partly understandable, does not really help, and are often a distraction. Hopefully, the general public, tthose connected to the Sugar Industry in some way and wish it well, and others who may not, will now take a more reasonable interest in events.
Of course, the new back-end processes eg: the continuous sugarboiling have to be also mastered. The initial output of crystal sugar from this Diffusion Process could be specially marketted. I am unfortunately too far away to sample the product at first hand.
Good Luck to the New Skeldon!
Here,,, i see in a name “riot” ! riot is another form of destabilisation,, much like slo’ fyah an mo’ fyah !,,,,,
so ,, for all the failures that is so very microscopically brought to the fore ,, as a way of measurement for the gross mismanagement of the peoples affairs for the welfare and benefit of ALL ,,,, during the tenure of an ILLEGAL GOVT for all of 28 years,, i am bereft of comprehending how this is possible when there is an ongoing acute and very subtle force of the destruction of the landscape we call GUYANA !……
weather aside ,, the economic development of the country ,, is in the hands of those who have so far,, even with the insurmountable odds of having to stand up in the face of all,, since the democratically legally elected govt ,, of 2001 ,, have shown this far how much more they r concerned abt the peoples welfare !
there r many issues from which failure can be deducted ,, but failure is what can be expected ,, when the total machinery of govt ,, has to be renewd ,, repaired ,, replaced ,, and ,,,, welll yuh get de pitcha !……..
to those who can only criticise that which they themselves are incapable of ,, i say to them for their effort ,,,,,,,,
i would like to take you seriously,, but to do so ,, would be an affront to your intelligence !,,,,, the Shavian wit is remarkably potent here !……….
I have 1 question — where is the sugar the said would have been made during the test? maybe the news reporters got the wrong info cause NO sugar was made. BELIEVE that. the juice wil go to waste and for all info Berbice national grid is at the fate of GUYSUCO. THE 5 MW wartsila generator has a damage part and cant work, but GUYSUCO/chinese contractors cant seem to buy the part cause the processing part of the factory is more inportant. I thought that the GPL consumers the people of Berbice was important? Guess the President dont really knows wat goes on. Robert Persaud should have spent some nite in berbice, more so in the factory. Finally the factory has 1 very recurring problem it wasnt a TOTALLY SUCCESSFUL TEST.
This new factory promises good things with its high tech Engineering. Mind you the Chinese quality in workmanship is not at par with North America or Japan. Maintaining this factory will require highly skilled personnel. The Chinese, will have to train unselfish people who will share this knowledge.