Dear Editor,
There was an interesting letter loaded with sarcasm and innuendos intended to vilify the CEO and what the writer claimed to be the current ‘progressive policies’ of the Guyana Sugar Corporation. The ‘sugar professionals’ referred to by Mr. Narendra Lall in his letter captioned, ‘A true visionary and trailblazer’ dated September 24th did absolutely nothing to halt the decline of the Corporation and were at their wits end to find solutions. They sat in their air conditioned offices, swiveling on their executive chairs, aloofly sipping their creamy and expensive coffee whilst the Corporation crumbled. Mr. Sasenarine Singh was appointed CEO in September 2020 to take up this unprecedented challenge, which would make the labours of Hercules seem insignificant in comparison, to resurrect an entity which the Coalition ensured was in its dying throes.
From the fields to the factories, from financial resources to human resources, everything was reduced to a state of lifelessness and lethargy. There was no purpose, no direction and there was an air of hopelessness which permeated the rudderless corporation. And these ‘sugar professionals’ just love it. The ‘sugar professionals’ indeed were unable to think outside the proverbial box. It took a man with courage, determination and commitment to even attempt to shake the old status quo which existed, and the CEO threw the gauntlet which some saw as ‘interference’ and began a crusade to discredit him. The CEO’s ‘cause’ was to stem the incompetence and decadence which had taken a firm grip within the Corporation by the few which held thousands of employees at ransom. They had a choice but they chose to leave rather than work as a team to promote GuySuCo’s ‘cause’. Now that they are on the outside they see all the wrongs and have all the solution.
Mr. Naredra Lall also made an erroneous statement that the CEO ‘ensured that he has a Board which will partner with him in his quest to create a ‘new GuySuCo’. Recent events which took place at the Board Meeting just over a month ago would suggest the opposite and currently the new Board is yet to be appointed. It would seem that Mr. Lall is a gifted clairvoyant. Furthermore, the CEO should be given credit for venturing in to the fields and factories to garner first-hand knowledge of what is happening there. How many CEOs have ever gone into the fields and interact with rank and file employees. Even some estate managers are averse to this and merely drove around the cultivation comfortably ensconced in their air-conditioned Isuzu. It is a fact that GuySuCo’s lands are affected by acidity which inhibits the absorption of phosphorous which is a normal phenomenon for tropical and sub-tropical regions (https://www.fao.org/3/y5053e/y5053e06.htm). I refer Mr. Lall to go this website and enhance his education which will allow him to understand what the CEO is attempting to do in order to improve the growth and yield of the sugar canes. Low Grade Rock Phosphate is a source of several nutrients other than phosphorous and while it improves soil fertility it also brings soil degradation under control. It is a win-win situation.
It’s a pity that Mr. Lall and his ilk are so myopic. GuySuCo is not the only agricultural entity which is affected by low production output. Perhaps Mr. Lall should visit the markets and find out what has caused the prices for boulanger, eschallot to skyrocket. Perhaps Mr. Lall was doing a Rip Van Winkle throughout the pandemic and the great floods which brought agriculture on its knees. Perhaps he should look at the reduced opportunity days available for tillage and harvesting. Tillage operations were greatly affected and the lands mentioned were not ‘aborted’ as he claimed. Thanks to this Govern-ment that the agriculture sector was saved from complete annihilation. Is Mr. Lall aware that there is an entity called NARIE? Is Mr. Lall aware that that Head Office costs were reduced by $170 million? Conveniently, Mr. Lall did not see the massive improvement in the speed of the procurement of vital spares, machinery and equipment nor the recapitalization of the estates which will bring that elusive progress nor did he see the critical mechanization program which was activated by no other than the President himself. Perhaps he is now aware of the many incentives given to boost production and productivity.
There are so many positives which Mr. Lall ignored such as the valued added thrust, but very soon the benefits of the programs and policies implemented by the CEO will be tangibly manifested. I would like to conclude that Mr. Lall’s letter should be deemed as an unsavory attempt to pass his mirthless humor to gratify himself and cronies who have been stopped in their tracks to continue to perpetuate their self-aggrandizement.
Sincerely,
Zafiel Khan
