Paradigm shifts needed in sugar industry to regain viability
—but misses out on Olympic Qualification
Dear Editor,
When the government changed in August 2020, I was among thousands of delighted Guyanese to see the long night of the APNU+AFC rule had come to an end. I was particularly pleased because the PPP/Civic had promised to reopen the closed sugar estates. This was most welcomed since, like many people, I am convinced that the sugar industry is viable and can still play an important role in the expansion of our economy. Moreover, it is important to ensure that the economy is based on a wide variety of products and not caught to be dependent on oil. Therefore sugar can play an important role in enhancing our people’s welfare.
Editor, the industry needs much more than money to make it viable, to allow it to contribute to our country’s all-round development. Things cannot be done in the same old way. The industry needs to be restructured, reorganized as much as it needs financial inputs at this stage. Not to reorganize this could end up just throwing money at the problem without tangible results. The first step was for senior persons in the government to bring together all the experience that we have in this country. These would be experienced field and factory persons, experienced workers, people with enormous practical experience, and appeal to their patriotism to put the industry on its foot again.
It should have been made clear that the super salaries they were accustomed to, was not possible at this time. Appeal to management to take a pay cut since the PNC had damaged it seriously. They would be rewarded as successes are made and the industry regains its viability. This would have ensured that Guysuco and Guyana would have benefited from people who were committed to the industry and the country. That kind of motivation and commitment would have been an important indication of success. It is clear too, that a new type of management is needed in sugar. Everyone knows about the history of the industry which almost spans our country’s history, from slavery through indentureship and later the monopoly of foreign control.
Even after nationalization the management structure was not changed. We had a public corporation with a management structure of the plantation era. The same top down command type of operating. Therefore, we need to democratize management. Ensure that machinery be created to give workers an opportunity to say how things were being run and how they could be improved. This is a great resource since workers who gave all their lives to the industry have acquired vast knowledge that should be harnessed in an organized way to benefit the industry. This invaluable resource/knowledge has been mostly ignored in the past and is being ignored now.
One of the ways in which this could be done was by giving workers a greater stake in the industry. To create worker cooperatives in which workers would not only look forward to wages but to dividends at the end of the crop. This means assisting workers with technical skills to run a worker cooperative. To give the lands to these workers in groups to produce canes for the publicly owned factories. This would help in improving workers conditions; rather than just depending on wages, workers become shareholders. This is one way of allowing workers to be owners as well.
Management would then free itself to think of developing new products, increasing revenue streams and building new relationships such as joint ventures for a new distilling and refining facility, cogeneration and the making of ethanol among other measures. The cane industry of India and Cuba has vast experience in new products and we can benefit from their technologies; Guyana has many cooperation agreements with both these states. I’m sure both will be most willing to work along with us. At the same time a strong focus must be put on cutting costs in a major way. Guysuco was doing this only a short time ago under Dr. Rajendra Singh’s leadership. All of this work appears to have been lost.
Possibilities of saving millions in fertilizers by producing liquid fertilizer as is done in India was already in train five years ago. Much money could also be saved by compressing garbage and burning them in boilers to start up factories. This too amounts to substantial savings from not buying wood to do the same job. Guysuco and IAST had done a lot in this area. The compressed bagasse was far more efficient and a fraction of the cost of wood. At the level of procurement, workers and their unions can play an important oversight role to ensure that the corporation and the country is making the best and most sensible use of scarce financial resources.
Recently there was news emanating from the corporation in relation to the purchase of some forty tractors. The tractors identified were very expensive. However, Guysuco has records and experience with very good machinery at far less cost from other sources. The Mahendra tractor from India is a very good piece of machinery at a fraction of the cost of what was being proposed. More equipment could have been purchased with the same money but some people seemed determined to want the most expensive. Therefore, the workers and union should have an important oversight role here to ensure value for money and the most optional way to use scarce financial resources.
It is unfortunate that the team put up by the administration is not generating nor demonstrating any confidence that it is up to the challenge. It is not motivating workers nor managers at the middle level. All the signs are that they are old style managers who are more focused on prestige such as fancy expensive vehicles, huge salaries and expensive personal accommodation. Its employment practices do not seem to be searching for the most skilled and experienced managers, but on cronies who can sing the praise of the boss. Egoism is now more dominant than finding the best.
It is time that the government pay close attention to what is taking place at GuySuCo. If this is not done then the point would be reached where the government would look for the easy way out and accept privatization of the industry. They would say we tried, we have put in a lot of money but it has not worked, therefore, we have no other option but to sell out the industry. That would be a huge collective slap in our faces and a great let down to our ancestors who invested their life’s blood in sugar. A great opportunity is being missed!
GENEVA/WASHINGTON, (Reuters) Three months after the Trump administration rejected her, former Nigerian finance minister Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala received unanimous backing yesterday to become the first woman and first African directorgeneral of the World Trade Organization.
A self-declared “doer” with a track record of taking on seemingly intractable problems, Okonjo-Iweala will have her work cut out for her at the trade body, even with Donald Trump, who had threatened to pull the United States out of the organisation, no longer in the White House.
As director-general, a position that wields limited formal power, OkonjoIweala, 66, will need to broker international trade talks in the face of persistent U.S.-China conflict; respond to pressure to reform trade rules; and counter protectionism heightened by the COVID-19 pandemic.
She told Reuters in an interview on Monday that her top priority would be to ensure the trade body does more to address the COVID-19 pandemic, calling the disparities in vaccine rates between rich and poor countries “unconscionable” and urging members to lift export restrictions on medical items.
She also expressed confidence that her priorities were aligned with Washington’s.
“I think our interests and priorities are aligned. They want to bring the WTO back to (its) purpose,” she told Reuters.
The U.S. delegate said that Washington was committed to working closely with her and would be a “constructive partner”. China’s delegate pledged “full support” for her.
EU trade commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis said he looked forward to working closely with her to drive “muchneeded
reform of the institution”.
A 25-year veteran of the World Bank, where she oversaw an $81 billion portfolio, Okonjo-Iweala ran against seven other candidates by espousing a belief in trade’s ability to lift people out of poverty.
She studied development economics at Harvard after experiencing civil war in Nigeria as a teenager. She returned to the country in 2003 to serve as finance minister and backers point to her hard-nose negotiating skills that helped seal a deal to cancel billions of dollars of Nigerian debt with the Paris Club of creditor nations in 2005.
“She brings stature, she brings experience, a network and a temperament of trying to get things done, which is quite a welcome lot in my view,” former WTO chief Pascal Lamy told Reuters last week. “I think she’s a good choice.” Key to her success will be her ability to operate in the centre of a “U.S.-EU-China triangle”, he said.
The endorsement of the Biden administration cleared the last obstacle to her appointment and she is due to begin March 1.
SWEET BUT STRONG
Okonjo-Iweala becomes one of the few female heads of a major multilateral body. When she joins the WTO’s Geneva lakeside headquarters her portrait is set to be hung beside others of men, mostly white and from rich countries.
The Trump administration’s main criticism of her was that she lacked direct trade experience compared to her main South Korean rival and even supporters say she will have to quickly get up to speed on the technicalities of trade negotiations.
She has rejected this, saying that she has plenty of experience of trade, plus other expertise.
“I think it’s a big advantage to come in fresh - with fresh eyes and fresh ears,” she said on Monday.
Asked about how she took the Trump rejection, she replied: “When things happen you take them in your stride and move on”.
Raised by academics, the mother-offour earned a reputation for hard work and modesty amid the pomp of Nigeria’s governing class, acquaintances say.
“She is persistent and stubborn,” said Kingsley Moghalu, former deputy governor of Nigeria’s central bank who worked with her when she was the country’s first female finance minister.
The families who were displaced after an electrical fire destroyed their properties on Saturday have estimated that over $12 million was lost due to the destruction caused.
This newspaper re-visited the site of the fire and was able to speak with the owners of the two Castello Housing Scheme properties.
On Saturday at around 11.45 am, the Guyana Fire Service was summoned to the fire and afterward acting fire chief, Kalamadeen Edoo said a total of 24 persons had occupied the two buildings. Edoo said that the fire was caused by electrical issues.
George Hopson, 84, the owner of the Lot 75 Castello Housing Scheme house where the fire started, said that he was at church with his son when the fire started. He had lived at the property with his son, his daughter, a grandson and two other children. They are currently staying at a church in the area.
Hopson said that the house was insured and they would be visiting the insurance company soon to get some relief. According to the man, they had occupied the house for almost 39 years since buying it. His son, Orin McKenzie, told this newspaper that he quit his job as a construction worker two years ago to stay home and look after his father, who is a diabetic and also has glaucoma. He said that since quitting, he has been relying on the money from the tenants for rent to look after himself and his father.
When this newspaper visited the men at the church yesterday, they said that they are uncertain of what to do and where to turn for help. They related that they are grateful for the help from the people who they attend church with. They explained that the persons had visited them both on Saturday evening and on Sunday and brought food for them. However, they do not have anywhere else to stay other than the church they currently reside at. The two men said they have gotten into contact with one of the tenants who said they found somewhere to stay however, they were unsure about the rest.
Lennox Jones, who hold the power of attorney for his brother, who owns the second house where the fire spread because of the breeze blowing it in a southern direction, said that his family is currently staying with a friend at Princes Street. Jones said that he hasn’t made contact with his brother because his phone was damaged in the fire and therefore he doesn’t know what his brother’s reaction to the tragedy was.
Jones said that he had certificates which proved his qualifications for work, as he is a mechanic and that all those along with his children’s credentials, family photos and other important documents were all burned on Saturday.
Jones said that he lived with his wife, Isabella, called Donna, and their five children. He also said that lower flat housed eight persons.
Jones said that he is unsure of what his family will do as they are currently awaiting word from their relatives who have promised to assist them in whatever way they can. He said that family friends are currently assisting with clothes and food. He also noted that he is currently grateful that his family is alive and he is grateful for the help promised and which has been received thus far.
This newspaper was able to see the aftermath of the fire and it was observed that the house immediately behind the burned house was scorched. Jones’ cousin, who owns the soup shop and lives in the house behind Jones, said that the fire spread too quickly for the shop to be saved. Rosena Noel, who lives in the house that was scorched said that she was in the shop when the fire started. She informed that they had customers who had to be evacuated and that she wasn’t able to get the money or anything out of the shop before it was engulfed. After a dark cloud of smoke entered the shop, she recalled, she couldn’t breathe and exited through the back. She said that her family also rushed out of the house through the back exit. According to
the family, a microwave, fridges and other electronic appliances were burned. An observation of the scorched kitchen showed that the heat from the flames penetrated the roof and northern wall of the kitchen.
Jones’ cousin said that he witnessed the fire from start to end and that the fire service showed up without water and seemed like they arrived only to witness a fire destroy the buildings. Seemingly upset, the man criticized the fire service for being unprepared when they arrived and for not doing more. He said that the fire fighters seemed to unequipped when they arrived with empty tenders and limited fire jackets.
On Saturday, this newspaper observed that four fire tenders arrived at the scene and a source said that the fire service arrived very quickly. But when Stabroek News arrived about 45 minutes after the fire had started, both buildings were still engulfed with flames. There was a thick cloud of smoke emanating and persons were complaining about the fire service taking some time to get access to water from the nearby drains. However, Minister of Home Affairs, Robeson Benn has explained that the fire service did a good job since they responded to three fires prior to the one at Castello Housing Scheme and that this was over a twelve-hour period.
McKenzie can be contacted on 604-3924 and Jones can be contacted on his wife’s number, 6716210. They both have said that they would appreciate any help given.
Emmanuel Archibald got his season off to sublime start, leaping to a world leading (unofficial) 8.10m when the Athletic Association of Guyana (AAG) staged its first track and field meet for the year on Sunday at the National Track and Field Centre.
A look at the leaderboard on worldathletics.com shows that the 26-year-old National record holder (8.12m), eclipsed Australia’s Darcy Roper who currently stands atop the table with a leap of 7.96m recorded on January, 26 in Australia.
Archibald, who has a goal of qualifying for this year’s Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan, will be encouraged by his early season exploits.
The native of the Mining Town, will be gunning to reach or surpass the entry standard of 8.22m to punch his ticket to the prestigious Games before the qualifying window closes on June 21.
Archibald will have another crack at qualifying for the Summer Games as soon as March 7 when the AAG stages its next meet at the same venue.
Another standout on Sunday was Guyana’s javelin record holder and 2018 South American Games silver medalist, Leslain Baird.
Baird who also a hopeful for Tokyo, threw 77.23m, sniffing his national record of 78.65m which was recorded in Cochabamba, Bolivia.
The Senior Petty Officer who turns 34 in three months, will have the Olympic Qualifying entry standard of 85.00m on his radar.
In the blue riband 100m events, Archibald showed his sprinting prowess as did Briana Charles. The pair was the first to cross the tape in their respective events. Archibald clocked 10.21s leading Akeem Stewart (10.51s) and Nolex Holder (10.69s) onto the podium.
Charles was timed at 11.91 ahead of Tonya Rawlins (12.15s) and the evergreen Alisha Fortune (12.50s).
The meet which was spectator free, was held under strict COVID-19 measures.