Dear Editor,

The Chief Executive Officer of the Guyana Sugar Corporation (Guysuco) reportedly stated, during his appearance on “Close Up” which was broadcast on NCN on October 30, 2009, that the Guyana Sugar Corporation would lose some 17,000 tonnes of burnt canes equivalent to 1,550 tonnes sugar from the current strike. Is this assertion factual? As at today, Monday, November 02, 2009 there were close to 3,600 tonnes burnt cane across the industry. This figure was garnered from usually reliable and impeccable sources. Should the canes remain unprocessed it will amount to approximately 305 tonnes sugar.

The goodly gentleman should have revealed that some 2,400 tonnes of burnt canes were abandoned at Skeldon before the current strike commenced, albeit at the Skeldon Factory which is affected by a host of problems. It is to be hoped that sugar workers are not made scapegoats for this wastage.

Guysuco indicated through the 2009 National Budget, a production of 290,000 tonnes sugar, this was -later revised to 250,000 tonnes then 242,000 tonnes. Before the workers’ protest over the withdrawal of the three per cent wage increase it was a known fact that there were enough canes to produce 235,000 tonnes of sugar according to the Corporation’s latest assessment, again according to reliable sources,

Did you remember GAWU said in its press statement of October 14, 2009, that it “is of the view that the decision by the Guyana Sugar Corporation to withdraw from the wage/salary negotiation is influenced by ulterior motives?” Blame the workers and the Union for the sugar production which will be less than the originally budgeted number. The Corporation knew of the silent internal revision even before any industrial action, which they precipitated, was taken by the workers and the union.

Yours faithfully,
Seepaul Narine
General Secretary
GAWU