Dear Editor,
GuySuCo of recent has been the target for massive mismanagement and allegedly corrupt practices and there is a never ending string of supporting evidences. Recently, 8 cane loaders valuing over $200 million were procured to assist in the harvesting of canes – 4 were sent to Blairmont and 4 at Albion. However, due to their unsuitability – extra-long boom and wrong configuration – these machines are only capable of doing only half the productivity of the old machines. For instance, the old machines can load up to 25 tonnes of cane per hour but the new ones can barely manage 8-10 tons per hour. It is also not operator-friendly and it demands extra effort by the operators who can only work for 1 hour at a time. These operators are complaining of knee and shoulder pains inclusive of muscular spasms (cramps). When will this financial haemorrhaging stop? Who is responsible for this?
Obviously GuySuCo provided the specifications for the procurement of this and the other set of unsuitable machines. The relevant question is: Why are all these multitudes of wrong doings being tolerated in GuySuCo? Let me just mention a few more. Workers collective bargaining rights are violated with impunity resulting in unnecessary strikes (currently happening at Albion). Discrimination abounds in staff promotions for those who ‘follow the leader’ (a touch of Burnhamism?) and being rewarded handsomely while others are discarded and thrown on the way side. It is also alleged that an AFC crony was paid $2.5 million for a month’s consultancy in human resource and another 2 were paid 1 million dollars per month for 6 months with no evidence of any work done or reports submitted. There is now a new motto in GuySuCo: ‘those who opposed and exposed will be disposed’. It does not stop there.
It is alleged that an advance payment of $3 million was paid to a prominent businessman to procure a Volvo SUV Sports Utility vehicle and when the Government disallowed this transaction the amount never returned to GuySuCo but was written off as bad debts this year. Why was this advance payment not reimbursed to GuySuCo? It must be noted that a duty free Volvo was later purchased from the same businessman. Editor, how is it possible for a person to enjoy duty free concession for the same vehicle which he had made an advance payment on while he also uses the Company vehicle assigned to him? Why this special treatment cannot be meted out to other senior executives in GuySuCo? It would seem that the bankrupt state of GuySuCo does not affect those who are blessed.
Editor, here we have a person who struts around the industry like a peacock with his Chief of Staff and armed security guard and behaves as someone endowed with Presidential immunity and characteristics, constantly boasting about his connections with senior Government officials. Is this the source of his immunity? Why this Cadillac lifestyle in a donkey cart corporation? If the present trend continues and workers continue to show dissent and dissatisfaction because of poor management style and devastating decision-making, then the Government’s ability to remain in power will be severely compromised. Is this what the PPP wants? If not, then something needs to be done to remove this impediment as of yesterday.
Sincerely,
Narendra Lall
