Village Voice News stands firmly by its March 28, 2026 report titled “Ali Tells GAWU Sugar Is Vital—But Data Show Industry in Deep Trouble.” The subsequent response from Seepaul Narine, President of the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU) and Member of Parliament for the People’s Progressive Party (PPP), warrants correction.
While this publication would have preferred greater restraint before Mr. Narine affixed his name to a letter- ‘Village Voice should end its charade, stop distorting the facts says GAWU’ (KN 31/3/2026)- replete with inaccuracies, duty compels a response lest misrepresentation be allowed to stand as fact.
Nothing in the original article regarding the state of the sugar industry is false.
Mr. Narine’s attempt to redirect attention singularly to the period of governance under A Partnership for National Unity and Alliance for Change (APNU+AFC) is not only misplaced but flawed. Evidence, including findings from a 2021 commissioned International Labour Organisation (ILO) study, shows that the most significant job losses in the sugar industry occurred under the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C), notably during the Bharrat Jagdeo administration.
The ILO report provides critical context. When sugar was nationalised in 1976 by the People’s National Congress (PNC) administration, employment stood at 28,406. Under the PNC governments led by Presidents Forbes Burnham (1964–1985) and Desmond Hoyte (1985–1992), employment declined by just 325 workers.
However, by May 2015, when the PPP/C left office, the Guyana Sugar Corporation’s (GuySuCo) workforce had fallen to 16,927. This represents a loss of 11,154 jobs under PPP governance. By comparison, 5,160 jobs were lost under the APNU+AFC administration.
It is also a matter of record—as reported by Village Voice News and carried by the other media houses during the period- that the coalition government introduced measures to cushion the impact on displaced workers, including severance payments, with at least 50 per cent paid upfront at one stage.
For clarity:
- Village Voice News never denied that estates were closed; this was explicitly stated.
- The publication did not claim that 7,000 sugar workers lost their jobs. That figure is inaccurate. The ILO study cites job losses of 5,160 under APNU+AFC.
- Issues such as wage freezes, benefits, and alleged discrimination during previous administrations were not addressed because they were not part of the scope of the story, which focused on President Ali’s address and GAWU President’s remarks.
Mr. Narine may instead wish to address current concerns within the industry, including reports from sugar workers regarding compensation packages, wage withdrawals, non-payment of wages, promised benefits and allegations of discrimination.
His attempt to malign Mr. Lincoln Lewis, General Secretary of the Guyana Trades Union Congress (GTUC), and by extension this publication, is a diversion into personalisation—one that is both porous and without merit. The facts presented in the named article remain verifiable and withstand scrutiny. Mr. Narine is invited to examine the evidence, including publicly available budget documents to which he has access as a sitting Member of Parliament.
The link to the ILO Study is included here for easy reference- https://www.ilo.org/caribbean/information-resources/publications/WCMS_800352/lang–en/index.htm
President Irfaan Ali himself acknowledged the industry’s challenges, stating at the referenced ceremony: “Let us combine our efforts, our experience, and our shared commitment to restore the sugar industry to its state of viability.” Restoration, by definition, presupposes decline.
Similarly, Mr. Narine’s objection to the use of the word “occasioned” is misplaced. The term simply denotes causation. The closure of four estates during the APNU+AFC administration was occasioned by economic strain on rural communities dependent on the industry—an accurate and contextually appropriate usage.
The broader reality remains unchanged. Over the past five years, GuySuCo has received between G$36 billion and G$41 billion in government subventions. Annual allocations have ranged from G$6 billion to G$9 billion, including G$8.4 billion in 2026, the bulk of which is directed toward wages and salaries. Despite these injections of taxpayer funds, the industry remains unprofitable and dependent on continued subsidies.
The evidence points to long-standing structural decline in the sugar industry, with the most significant contraction of its workforce occurring under PPP governance. It may be an inconvenient truth, but it is a truth, nonetheless.
Village Voice News remains committed to credible, fact-checked journalism aimed at informing and empowering the public. That mission requires fidelity to truth, irrespective of discomfort or political sensitivity.
In closing, we return Mr. Narine’s own admonition: “We urge that the charade ends. There must be honesty, not deception. There must be no misleading or obscuring. The facts are the facts, and no attempt to rewrite the narrative will succeed.”
