The Uitvlugt sugar factory on Wednesday used almost ten times the amount of cane normally needed to produce a tonne of sugar, a sign of serious mechanical problems.
According to a Guyana Agricultural and General Workers’ Union (GAWU) release, on April 23, it was informed by the workers that the Uitvlugt factory, over the last 24 hours, utilised, on average, 296.6 tonnes of canes to produce a tonne of sugar. The day before, the Union said that the estate utilised just over 29 tonnes of cane to produce a tonne of sugar. GAWU stated that this shows that the situation deteriorated by 921 per cent, further adding, that to put the situation into perspective, the estate had expected to utilize just over 12 tonnes of sugar to produce a tonne of sugar.
The Union says that along with the workers, it is “deeply upset about the situation” and blamed “mechanical breakdowns” as being at the “root of the problem.” It shared that it has learnt that the factory suffered breakdowns aggregating to some 415 hours over its 11-week cropping period. The breakdowns are equivalent to about 3.2 weeks of operations.
It was noted that presently, Uitvlugt Estate is concluding its first crop with harvesting operations having come to an end earlier this week and production for the crop as of Thursday morning stood at 8,425 tonnes sugar as against a crop target of 9,410 tonnes. In addition, based on the canes remaining to be crushed, it is estimated that the estate will fall shy of its target by about 800 tonnes sugar and possibly even more if the “disturbing situation” of the last 24 hours prevails.
GAWU insists that the problems at the Uitvlugt factory are not unknown and the Union on several occasions has expressed “concerns” about its functioning. In fact, not so long ago, the Union says, it was made aware that the factory suffered 16 breakdowns over a 24-hour period. This, it declares, “is almost unimaginable and brings into question the efficacy of the Corporation’s enhanced factory operations department.” And apart from its factory woes, the estate also suffered a shortfall in anticipated cane production for this crop which contributed to the production deficit recorded.
Reference was made to the Stabroek News article of Thursday April 23 which reported that GuySuCo was considering approaching the Administration for support to offset the payment of wages and salaries. In view of this development, the Union opined that the Corpora-tion’s current situation “has been exacerbated by the rudderless leadership of the Coalition as it concerns sugar, and national life generally.” Further noting that two years have passed since the Government-backed $30 billion bond to modernise the remaining state-owned estates at Albion, Blairmont and Uitvlugt was secured. “Notwithstanding the lengthy period, not one of the touted modernisation projects has broken ground nor has the necessary investments in the fields and factory really gotten underway. Had this been done, we believe, the industry could be on the road to recovery and the, seeming, unending procrastination has been most harmful,” the Union was quoted as saying.
GAWU reminded that even a commitment by President Granger in June, 2019 to have the sums quickly released to the industry was not realised and accused the National Industrial & Commercial Investments Limited – Special Purpose Unit of “apparently overriding the President” by holding on to the monies because of “concerns”. The Corporation, for its part, has said it has that it believed that it had provided satisfactory responses but nonetheless, the union observes, the situation persists.
The Union expressed its conviction that the ongoing disagreement “has to be laid squarely at the feet of the government” adding, “rather than arresting the situation has allowed it to fester to the detriment of the industry and more so tens of thousands of Guyanese.”
As far as GAWU is concerned, the sugar industry is in “urgent need” of appropriate support in order to avoid further disruption in the country, the release added.
