[www.inewsguyana.com] – The second sugar crop for 2015 officially ended on Wednesday evening with the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) achieving 231,145 tonnes of sugar, 3,702 tonnes more than its target of 227, 443 tonnes.
The second crop realised 150,007 tonnes surpassing the set target of 146,300 tonnes, breaking an 11-year period of a second crop not fulfilling its target.
Chief Executive Officer of the corporation, Errol Hanoman told the Government Information Agency (GINA) that such achievement has come about because the management team was very motivated and workers gave of their best and most importantly, the corporation was allowed to do the job without interference
“We have been allowed to manage. The management team focused solely on getting the tasks done, there were no distractions,” Hanoman reiterated.
The Coalition Government appointed a new Board of Directors to manage the ailing company, and instituted a Commission of Inquiry (COI) to look into the company’s operations.
The last time the industry achieved its production target was in 2004 when it produced 325,317 tonnes of sugar. This is despite the company over the years, consistently lowering its set targets.
Meanwhile, Hanoman said he is keen to begin working on next year’s target which has been set at 242,287 tonnes, a five percent increase over the 2015 target.
“My mind is now on 2016. We will be working to achieve 240,000 tonnes so we have to start refining our strategies to be able to be on top of our game. There will be lots of challenges, so at every level we have to go systematically to achieve the target, and so as we go into the new year’s production, we all know where we stand,” the CEO stated.
Hanoman told GINA that the company’s debt is still huge, standing at $78.6Billion, down from the $82Billion it had racked up by July of this year.
But while it has achieved increased production, the company has to address its huge debt, and high production cost. Production is only one element to returning the corporation to viability.
Reminding of the two strikes called by the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers’ Union (GAWU), which affected the corporation attaining its sugar target earlier, he said, “We are looking forward to a healthy, constructive relation with all the unions. All of us are working toward the same goal of ensuring viability of the company and security of employment for the workforce.”
what a government boasting that GuySuCo surpass the yearly set target but see it fit not to reward the workers for their hard work yet they reward them hefty pay increase