Skeldon factory will not become a white elephant

TIMES INT'L

Dear Editor, 

Reference is made to a letter, “GuySuCo has been in a ‘free fall’ with the PPP/C govt in full control”, carried in the Stabroek News of 6th December. Now, here is another missive that seeks to charge the PPP/C government for the challenges that the entity is currently facing.  

 No fair-minded, objective-thinking Guyanese can even suggest, much less accuse, the PPP/C administration of causing a “free fall” with GuySuCo. This industry, which had experienced low productivity during the era of the PNC administration, has received a continuous flow of intervention from the PPP/C administration from the onset of that party’s ascension to power. And this is because of the industry’s critical role as a GDP contributor and as the largest employer outside of the public service.  

The announcement of quota cuts by the EU did cause very grave concern, particularly as it related to the institution being the economic support base for a particular region, and the social fallout that would have occurred had the administration opted for even a partial scaledown and eventual closure of the industry, as has been the case of the industry in both Jamaica and Trinidad, for example. 

Instead, with a view to producing sugar at competitive cost, the PPP/C administration responded with the multi-billion-dollar Skeldon Project, the of plan was to have ensured the continuity of sugar as a major factor in the nation’s economy, apart from ensuring its survival and longevity. The thousands of harvesters and other categories of workers had continuity of their employment guaranteed. 

Yes, there are very serious challenges now facing the industry in general, with the Skeldon factory and its functions coming in for very serious criticisms, even from President Jagdeo. But this does not mean that the industry has been left to “free fall.” 

The failure of the industry, and its deep social implications, are well understood, not only by the administration, but also by the representative unions as well.

With this in mind, both sides are going to work assiduously to ensure that the Skeldon Project does not become a white elephant, as so many critics are hoping. Surely, government did not invest those billions for such an outcome.  

Yours faithfully,

Donald Jackson

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