By Mark DaCosta- In a statement, Sherwin C. Benjamin, General Secretary of the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR), asserted that President Irfaan Ali’s call for the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU) to take over the management of a sugar estate reflects a profound admission of the government’s failures. Benjamin’s remarks were published on the official Facebook page of the PNCR on June 24, 2026, highlighting a growing concern that the current administration lacks a coherent strategy for revitalising the sugar industry.
The controversy arises from President Ali’s public invitation to GAWU after he acknowledged the struggles of the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) in meeting its production targets. Benjamin questioned the logic behind shifting management responsibilities to a trade union when the government has already invested vast sums into this sector, yet has failed to achieve success. He challenged the public to consider why the administration believes that an organisation representing workers could rectify issues that have persisted under government oversight.
Benjamin pointed out the troubling historical ties between the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) and GAWU, suggesting that the entangled political relationships complicate the narrative. He noted that the former GAWU President had served in Parliament with the PPP, a fact that casts doubt on the impartiality of any management decisions made by GAWU. The General Secretary’s remarks underscore a critical disaffection with the government’s approach, arguing that if GAWU possesses the solutions to GuySuCo’s problems, then it should already be influencing the corporation’s direction through its representation on the Board-of-Directors of the company.
For over thirty years, successive PPP administrations have neglected to prepare GuySuCo for the inevitable decline of preferential European sugar markets and guaranteed prices, which they should have been foreseen in the early 1990s. Instead, Benjamin criticises them for failing to make the necessary transformations to maintain competitiveness in the global market. He contrasts this with the previous PNCR-led government, which recognised the need for diversification and attempted to broaden the economic opportunities for communities reliant on sugar.
The statement highlights several missteps under the PPP’s governance, referencing significant failed projects like the Skeldon sugar factory and the Enmore packaging plant, both notorious for inefficiencies and financial discrepancies. These failures underscore a broader issue of misallocation and mismanagement of public resources, as GuySuCo continues to falter and misfire on production targets despite the influx of billions.
Benjamin has further outlined that a serious government should focus on modernising agricultural practices through scientific research and improved productivity initiatives. “A comprehensive study of cane varieties to determine which strains provide the highest yield per hectare” is essential for revitalising the sector, he asserts. The focus should not only be on sugar production but on financially sustainable practices that maximise every component of the sugarcane plant, including the profitable utilisation of by-products.
In his compelling critique, the General Secretary emphasises that the government’s ongoing inadequacies serve not just as a leadership failure but as a national crisis for the sugar industry, which has historically underpinned our economy. “Guyana does not need political theatre,” Benjamin stated. “It requires competent management, strategic planning, scientific agriculture, diversification and accountability.”
The inconsistency in the government’s messaging and their reliance on a trade union to take over responsibilities in an industry they should adeptly manage will probably raise alarms among citizens. President Ali’s public challenge echoes a lack of clarity and commitment to a long-term strategy for GuySuCo, which has left many unsure of the path forward. With the party having previously pledged to transform the sugar industry into a diversified agricultural hub, the current political theatre only serves to confirm suspicions of indecisiveness.
As for GAWU, accepting the President’s challenge would not fundamentally change the existing problems — “The workers would remain the same, the fields would remain the same, the factories would remain the same, and many of the structural challenges would remain the same,” Benjamin concluded. The assertion implies that simply passing responsibility does nothing to address the core issues that have plagued the industry.
For the citizens of Guyana, the expectation is clear: genuine leadership necessitates accountability, innovation, and a strategic vision to steer vital industries towards success. As Benjamin calls for these changes, the onus falls on the government not to offer further challenges but to deliver tangible results that will secure the future of GuySuCo and, by extension, the livelihoods of thousands who rely on it.
