GuySuco CEO calls sugar workers industrial action “illegal,” celebrates three grinding estates surpassing weekly target for 2nd successive week.

Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) has announced surpassing the weekly target at all three of the grinding estates (Albion/Port Mourant, Blairmont and Uitvlugt) during the week ending September 9, 2023, and said with approximately nine (9) more weeks remaining in this cropping season, should the current favourable weather pattern persist, the corporation is poised to achieve its overall production target for the 2^nd Crop.

GuySuCo continues to set low targets and having set the bar low is celebrating getting passed the numbers. The corporation is a shadow of itself in production level, economically non-sustaining and has become increasingly dependant on Government for bail-out to the tune of billions of dollars.

According to the corporation, in a statement, the crop is currently in its 8^th week of production, and it is evident that the respective teams on the estates have capitalised on a number of strategies to boost workers turnout. “[Last] week the industry was fortunate to have been able to commence the process of changing the tires on some 40 prime movers in the field (tractors) and is continu[ing] to pay keen attention to the harvesting standards to improve the efficiencies around the punt weight.”

The corporation acknowledged there is still room for lots of improvement in the industry but it is a work in progress and the work process is moving in the right direction. These operational interventions, coupled with good weather played a major role in the production performance this past week, GuySuCo said, and “this good news continues to boost the morale of all employees, as the workers secures for a second successive week the weekly performance incentive on top of their weekly wages inclusive of their personal incentives.”

Chief Executive Officer, Sasenarine Singh, encouraged all the workers in a message to all the staff to “redouble their efforts with a clarity of mind of ensuring the cane-cutting standards are improved.” According to the corporation, “he also called on workers to ignore the distractions and remain disciplined to the efforts of the industry by focusing first on the economic well-being of their family by pushing past these targets and taking home more money rather than spending it in the Magistrates Court to defend an illegal action outside of the Collective Labour Agreement with the Unions.”

Singh thanked workers on the job for their consistent efforts which “is chipping away at the annual target which from all indications is very achievable, based on the weekly work plan over the next nine (9) weeks.”

The Executive Management congratulated the management and workers of the three grinding estates and urged all current and former sugar workers to turnout every week to utilise this special dry period to increase their earning, recognising that the industry had above average rainfalls for more than one year between November 2020 to January 2023.

Per the statement, the Executive Management has also encouraged all to strive towards repeating last week’s so their families can benefit from their increased earnings. The final walk through visit at the Rose Hall Estate was conducted by the Board of Directors, Executives, Estate Management and the Engineers on September 9, 2023.