Latest update March 28th, 2024 12:59 AM
Nov 11, 2010 News
– GAWU slams “inferior” Skeldon factory
By Leonard Gildarie
In the wake of industrial actions and falling production, the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) has asked government for a $2B (US$10M) bailout to help pay suppliers and creditors.
The disclosure was made by official GuySuCo sources yesterday even the workers’ largest union called on Government to come clean on the state of affairs at the modern Skeldon factory.
According to a GuySuCo official yesterday, Government is considering the $2B request, which has been necessitated by the continued low turnout, and poor production levels currently being experienced.
With canes on the ground and not enough workers, the situation has become a chicken and egg, to-and-fro situation with the union calling for more money for its members and the Corporation saying it just cannot afford the demands of 15 per cent. On Tuesday, GuySuCo had offered up to five per cent but hedged this against production targets.
It was clear yesterday that both the union and Corporation were digging in for what is emerging as a standoff.
$2B bailout
Yesterday, the senior
official noted that it is clear that some workers are not taking the GuySuCo situation seriously and continue to hurt the industry.
“Whether intentionally or not, by their actions of engaging in unnecessary strike actions which they are obviously aware – it will directly affect production.”
According to the official, the situation has reached a stage where the corporation is left with no option but to approach its shareholder, the government, for $2B (US$10M) to address some of its many outstanding financial responsibilities.
“This is how grave the situation is and yet despite all that is happening around us in the world and taking into consideration its own critical situation, the corporation has gone ahead and offered workers a wage increase ranging from two per cent to five per cent based on production figures.”
The official stressed that with the Corporation business is all about producing sugar and with that being the only source of income, logically the success of the industry is ultimately pegged on production.
“If we do not meet our targets, as has occurred over the past few years the reality is what is staring at us right now. What has been playing out to date is the constant pointing of fingers as to who and what is to blame, rather than taking serious stock of the situation and working in earnest to come out of this rut.”
The GuySuCo official slammed the unions, urging them to be more proactive in ensuring their membership is aware of the current reality.
He pointed to the numerous changes in the sugar industry, which included personnel, investigations in the materials procurement system, which resulted in a senior official being fired; management shuffling at the estates and improved communication with workers.
Unreasonable strikes
The recent strike action taken by a gang of workers at Blairmont because one of their colleagues is under the influence of alcohol was one of the cases, which clearly shows the exasperating situation facing GuySuCo.
“Now to refuse to work because of something as trivial as this, which could be easily handled by the union rep and estate management who are on site is sad. We have had cases where workers went on strike because the vehicle transporting them into the fields suffered mechanical problems, even though they were aware that another was on its way to relieve them.”
As of yesterday, at the Albion/Port Mourant estate, there were 340 persons on strike while at Blairmont there were another 155 out.
At the Enmore factory, 491 persons were on strike out of 554. According to the GuySuCo official, the strikes do add up, since the Corporation still has to find the money to pay its thousands of other workers, not to mention the servicing of debts and the maintenance of its operations both mechanical and in the field.
According to the official, there are 17,000 to 20,000 direct employees and another 4,000 who depend on the industry along with the markets that are being held during pay day.
Inferior Skeldon
Meanwhile, the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers’ Union (GAWU), which represents the biggest bloc of employees at GuySuCo, yesterday blamed the modern Skeldon estate for the productions level.
In a statement headlined “GAWU laments state of operations at Skeldon”, the union expressed its disgust over the state of operations at the factory, saying that it was more than 20,000 tonnes behind its budgeted production.
“Since the crop commenced on August 13, 2010 at Skeldon the factory has experienced a number of mechanical breakdowns which as late as (November 09, 2010) brought production to a halt.”
According to GAWU, operations ceased on Tuesday from about 04:00hrs until 16:00hrs due to a fault with the factory’s lone boiler. “During this time approximately 600 punts of cane were at the factory to be crushed. The factory’s second boiler, which collapsed earlier this year, is still out of service. The Union is reliably informed that repairs to that boiler are yet to commence.”According to the union, it is clear that inferior components were used in the construction of the factory.
“No longer should the Corporation fail to replace the ill-suited and inferior components lest the Factory’s interminable problems continue to bedevil the industry. The industry’s future is at stake. The industry has the capacity presently to produce 320,000 tonnes of sugar.
“Had the new factory perform as per design with the additional canes from the Skeldon farmers and the expanded Estate cultivation, a further 85,000 tonnes sugar could be easily produced yearly.”
GAWU felt that with the prevailing high world prices, had the targeted production been met, the industry would once again be sound and it would propel itself to become sustainable and fulfill its expected role in the country’s economy.
“It is time that the Corporation truthfully advise this nation on the state of affairs of the new Skeldon factory which continues to hemorrhage the industry’s treasury. The Corporation should desist from making the workers the scapegoats for its poor state of affairs.”
THIS IDIOT TELLING GUYANA WE HAVE NO SAY IN THE 50% PROFIT SHARING AGREEMENT WE HAVE WITH EXXON.
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