Ali maintains PPP/C’s plans to reopen sugar estates sound
PPP/C presidential candidate Irfaan Ali has dismissed criticisms that his plans to reopen shuttered sugar estates are unrealistic, while maintaining that he has a sound plan to resuscitate the industry.
Ali said that save for the Wales, West Bank of Demerara estate, where sugar cultivation has been discontinued and the infrastructure dismantled and lands sold, a PPP/C government will ensure the estates closed by the APNU+AFC government are back up, running efficiently and turning a profit.
“We have already made it clear publicly that we intend to reopen three of the four estates…,” Ali said as he explained that while Wales will not be reopened, he has plans to bring back economic opportunities for persons in that area.
“In particular, we will pursue areas of diversification that would bring back the jobs lost, expand employment opportunities, and re-create wealth in this community,” he said. “We intend to bring back economic life to the businesses, specifically, and the community of Wales more generally. Additionally, we will support this community and families of the workers of the Wales estate, through targeted interventions during this transitional phase,” he added.
According to Ali, the details of the how the plans would be rolled out will be addressed in the PPP/C’s manifesto.
In January of this year, Ali pledged to reopen the estates and came in for strong criticisms from members of government, with APNU+AFC’s Khemraj Ramjattan saying that it was a ploy to play on the emotions of voters in the sugar belt and those that lost jobs when the estates were closed.
Ramjattan told this newspaper that the PPP/C needs to be honest with the public and explain that the sugar industry was not sustainable when it was still in office and was a huge financial burden on the economy because of mismanagement.
“They need to tell this country about the true story of sugar and how the global prices affected us here. They need to say how much monies they collected from the EU (European Union) to cushion the effects of those fallen global market prices and put in a plan to cater for all of that but wasted it on Skeldon and did other things that has seen us the way we are today,” Ramjattan said.
‘Ending the sufferings’
But Ali said that the PPP/C’s position on sugar is not a political but human one, where the lives of persons are bettered and the suffering endured by thousands can be alleviated.
“My concern about the destruction of the sugar industry is not about garnering political support but rather ending the sufferings of thousands of families. The devastation of livelihoods and corrupt dealings surrounding the assets of the sugar industry should be a cause of concern for all Guyanese. Rescue of sugar is not about politics, but about an industry that can generate opportunities for the people of Guyana and look at synergistic relationships with other sectors, including the new oil and gas sector,” he said.
“How can leaders of the APNU-AFC carry on with their extravagant lifestyles and see sugar workers and their families struggle to muster a basic meal daily? They may be unbothered, but I worry and can’t wait to get sugar back on its feet again. We do not make promises that we cannot fulfill. We have always stayed true to our promises made. This can be confirmed by assessing our track record in terms of fulfilling our manifesto promises. Unlike the APNU-AFC, we do not make promises to lure voters. We make promises that are achievable and most importantly that address problems faced by people and community. If there is any one that cannot be trusted it is the APNUAFC. They made promises in almost every sector that have be broken and not kept,” he added.
And as it pertains to the EU’s aid for the sector over the years, Ali said that the money wasn’t wasted and maintains it was used for its “intended purposes.”
“Recognising the 36% cut in sugar price over the four-year period that began