Facts on number of sugar workers laid off during APNU+AFC Govt; It is not 7000

The Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) said 7000 sugar workers were laid off during the A Partnership for National Unity and Alliance for Change (APNU+AFC) coalition government (2015-2020).

According to the corporation’s statement, issued last Saturday, “The APNU+AFC will always be remembered for shutting down operations at several sugar factories and putting some 7000 sugar workers on the breadline.”

The misinformation was first peddled by the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C), reported by some sections of the media, and has since been accepted as undisputed fact.

The reality, however, based on a 2021 study conducted by the International Labour Organisation (ILO), on data provided by GuySuCo and the Ministry of Agriculture, revealed the number is 5160.

According to the Report, “While in 2012 there were three estates that added to the company’s profit position, a stark reality has been that since then, all the sugar estates were loss-making. Of those seven estates, the four with the worst average performance were Skeldon, East Demerara, Uitvlugt and Wales in 2011-2013, and Wales (alone) in 2014.”

Skeldon was deemed the worst performing of all estates. The failure has been attributed to the failed Skeldon Sugar Expansion Project that involved the more than US$200 Million Skeldon Factory. At the time of the investment, during the Bharrat Jagdeo presidency, the sum was larger than the National Budget.

The figures, presented on page 31, show there were 937 workers at Wales, 1531 at East Demerara, 903 at Rose Hall, and 1789 at Skeldon. The average severance pay to the laid off workers, as shown on page 37, is: at Wales Estate $613,800.00; East Demerara $611, 600.00; Rose Hall $1, 227, 642.00, and Skeldon $1,001,600.00. The categories of workers affected are, 95 senior staff;  31 junior staff ; and 4751 workers.

The overall sum total is 5160 workers

Per the Report at page 25 ‘Total GuySuCo Employment, 2006–2015’ reflects the following:

Source- Ministry of Agriculture (2017)

The entire report can be read here:

https://www.ilo.org/caribbean/information-resources/publications/WCMS_800352/lang–en/index.htm