Latest update April 20th, 2024 12:59 AM
Jan 26, 2016 Letters
Dear Editor,
There is much debate about the proposed closure of Wales Estate in December 2016. Government officials and GuySuCo executives have been making a case for closure on the basis of:
(1) Economics
(2) Neglected Cultivation
(3) Old Factory
These areas were further clarified during a television programme aired on NCN Channel 11 on the evening of Tuesday 19th January, 2016 with panelists being the Chief Executive Officer, Errol Hanoman, General Manager -Agri. Services, Raymond Sangster and General Manager-Technical Services, Yusoof Abdool.
Editor, the utterances from these top executives paints a picture to prove that Wales Estate is the worst performing estate and the level of investment required to rehab it is too great for a Government. It is true that the estate’s performance is not to its potential but it is totally untrue to state that it is the worst performing estate and I dare say that these GuySuCo executives are compulsive liars and plain hypocrites. They have set out on a journey to mislead the Guyanese public.
Let us examine Wales’s performance over the last five (5) years.
Sugar production for the years 2011-2015 is shown below:
The figures show that production from Wales is significant averaging at 20,574t/yr. Its percentage contribution to the Industry’s overall production is also significant averaging at 10% per year. Assuming that Wales got US$500 per tonne sugar over the last 5 years, it brought in on average, US$10,287,056.00 into Guyana’s economy per year.
Looking at the estate’s production, there is certainly room for improvement however, it is almost certain that Wales performed better than other estates in the areas of production and costs over the same period. Maybe, GuySuCo Executives can present the numbers to confirm or dispute this. The question therefore to Messrs Hanoman, Sangster & Abdool is; “What sort of economics was used to justify closure of a better performing estate?
It is also true that the cultivation is in a poor state and lack of adequate financing may be part of the cause. The General Manager-Agri. Services pointed out the state of infrastructure and fields cause cane yields to be tragically low. The Guyanese public needs to know that Mr. Raymond Sangster has been the General Manager- Agri. Services for 7 years now with overall responsibility for Agriculture in the Industry. His office is ultimately responsible for all agriculture decisions in the company and many poor decisions (e.g. fertilizer adjustment, chemical adjustment, young cane harvesting, etc.) were made under his command causing the state of fields across the Industry. Mr. Sangster presided over the dramatic decline of agriculture in the industry and Wales Estate is no exception. Isn’t it ironic for the person responsible for a decline in agriculture to now use it proudly as justification to close an Estate?
Like agriculture, a similar situation exists with factory where Mr. Yusoof Abdool has been General Manager- Technical Services for 9 years now with overall responsibility for factories in the Industry. His office is ultimately responsible for all technical decisions on operations and maintenance of factories. To now state that Wales’s equipment is old and obsolete and too costly to maintain is an indictment on the execution of his duties and lack of foresight from the Company’s leading technical executive. Did he not observe this when approving the maintenance programmes for factories each year? While one can agree that there is aged equipment at Wales, this is also the case for other factories.
With the support of cane farmers supplying canes, Wales’s factory is more utilized and more reliable than some factories in existence. The General Manager-Technical Services needs to come out and say this. I am also advised that equipment from Wales is also used at interchangeably at other factories so how can this factory become obsolete suddenly. Again, isn’t it ironic for the person responsible for a decline in factory maintenance and efficiency due to poor maintenance to now use it proudly as justification to close a factory?
Frederick Yuvraj
Where is the BETTER MANAGEMENT/RENEGOTIATION OF THE OIL CONTRACTS you promised Jagdeo?
Apr 20, 2024
– Elton Dharry and Dexter Marques to headline tonight’s card Kaieteur Sports – The Everest Cricket Club pavilion crackled with tension yesterday as the Guyana Boxing Board hosted its...Kaieteur News – Once a habit has been drilled into you, it returns almost automatically when you return to the setting... more
By Sir Ronald Sanders Waterfalls Magazine – On April 10, the Permanent Council of the Organization of American States... more
Freedom of speech is our core value at Kaieteur News. If the letter/e-mail you sent was not published, and you believe that its contents were not libellous, let us know, please contact us by phone or email.
Feel free to send us your comments and/or criticisms.
Contact: 624-6456; 225-8452; 225-8458; 225-8463; 225-8465; 225-8473 or 225-8491.
Or by Email: [email protected] / [email protected]