Sugar White Paper envisages land for workers, cane farmers – Harmon

The White Paper for the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) that the APNU+AFC government plans to debate in parliament would entail the issuing of land to workers and cane farmers.

At a post-cabinet press briefing on Thursday, Minister of State, Joseph Harmon told the media that the sugar workers and farmers would be invited to undertake agro-based activities on the land.

He said that is one of three plans that have been highlighted in the White Paper with the other two being divesting “some of [GuySuCo’s] facilities” and amalgamating some estates and factories. He said the land would become available based on government’s plan to divest some of the facilities.

According to him, based on the financial and technical evidence presented, the amalgamation would be feasible as it would be “appropriate for the better utilization of the nation’s resources.” He did not divulge other details of the White Paper.

He pointed out that “GuySuCo is an urgent priority for us” because in the budget 2017, Minister of Finance, Winston Jordan had indicated the financial reality of the request made by GuySuCo for funding for 2017 up to 2020.

Based on that, it was necessary for government to make urgent decisions. He expects that during the debate in the National Assembly they would get the clearance and the go ahead to ensure that they put systems in place for changes to take place.

Harmon also told the media about the Commission of Inquiry and a special team that has been put together to look at options for GuySuCo.

He said some of the options were presented to the government and at Cabinet level it was decided that there should be consultations with stakeholders, which included GuySuCo, the Guyana Agricultural & General Workers’ Union (GAWU), the Opposition and representatives from the estates, before a decision is made.

The consultations held at the Ministry of Agriculture, he said, were attempts at engaging all stakeholders on the important decision that has to be made on the sugar industry.

In relation to the divestment of the estates, he said President David Granger had made an important point that Guyana would still be in sugar and that the government is not closing the industry.

In response to a question, he said Leader of the Opposition People’s Progressive Party, Bharrat Jagdeo has been saying that they have a plan for GuySuCo and government has asked for them to put it on paper. He said though that they have received “only talk.”

He acknowledged that they received proposals from GAWU and that they been taken into consideration in preparation of the White Paper.

The White Paper would now be debated in the National Assembly where the Opposition “would have an opportunity again to go at it.”

Meanwhile, the media told Harmon that Jagdeo had mentioned that he does not see the sense in debating the White Paper, given that the president had already stated his position on the sugar industry and the course of action his government would take.

Harmon said that if Jagdeo has taken a pre-conceived position on the White Paper and refuses to debate it, they would still put forward their points and ask the National Assembly to make a ruling.