Dear Editor,
The Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) notes Craig Sylvester’s letter in yesterday’s edition of the Kaieteur News and takes this opportunity to clarify his gross misconception on cane harvesters’ wages.
Firstly, as mentioned in my previous letter, Guyana is one of the highest-paying sugar-producing countries to sugarcane harvesters globally. This fact can be substantiated by data from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, which indicates that average wages for sugarcane harvesters in India fall between US$4 and US$7 per day, while in Brazil, one of the world’s largest producers, the average ranges from US$12 to US$25 per day, depending on region and experience.
In contrast, GuySuCo pays harvesters an average daily wage that far exceeds those mentioned above, with top performers earning as much as US$150 per day during the First Crop of this year.
Furthermore, GuySuCo’s incentive scheme is structured to reward increased productivity and efficiency through a tiered system tied to tonnes of cane harvested. The incentive begins at a 31.8% bonus and climbs to 120% for those harvesting up to 40 tonnes. Therefore above average performers’ total earnings can exceed $100,000 per week, equating to US$68.24 per day, with top performers easily surpassing even that target.
This incentive program not only reflects a competitive and fair pay structure but also supports performance-based advancement and offers meaningful earnings in fewer days. For example during last crop, workers in the mid- to high-output range, who utilized 5 to 7 work days were able to take home $175,000 to 235,000 per week, challenging the incentive scheme and maximizing their daily returns. It is truly hard work that takes time, efforts and commitment.
Therefore, to suggest that sugar cane harvesters’ wages are “unlivable” is simply misleading. The issue of labour availability in agriculture is a global phenomenon, and Guyana is no exception, but GuySuCo is doing its part to ensure that workers who turn out are remunerated adequately.
Paul Cheong
Chief Executive Officer
Guyana Sugar Corporation
