Latest update April 19th, 2024 12:59 AM
Mar 19, 2018 Letters
Dear Editor,
A commonly asked question amongst the GuySuCo employees, both current and severed, is ‘what has become of the Interim Management Committee (IMC) that was put in place in June 2015 to chart and navigate the course of privatization over a two-year period?’
After all, in its current configuration, privatization is not an option, it is inevitable.
The IMC was put in place by the current administration and done on the premise that the two gentlemen comprising this body, were competent to execute the task entrusted to them.
Both Messers Errol Hanoman and Paul Bhim were, after all, former Chief Executive Officers with the former serving in that capacity from 01/01/2009 to 31/05/2010 and the latter, from 01/06/2010 up to 31/01/2014 when he was reverted to Finance Director. His tenure came to an end during September, 2010.
It is appropriate at this instance to examine the background of these individuals. Both were Finance Directors for extensive periods in the company with Mr. Hanoman exiting in the mid-nineties to join Booker Tate and serving as their representative in the Caribbean and South America up until 31/12/2008.
Paul Bhim joined the Company in 1994 as an Accountant and became Finance Director in the early 2000’s before assuming the position of CEO (ag) in 2010 upon Mr. Hanoman’s termination. Both were let go due to incompetence.
With the exit of Booker Tate at the end of 2009, Mr. Hanoman was at the helm of the company for a period of one and a half years thereafter.
During this period, the LBI Factory was closed and the LBI Cultivation amalgamated with the Enmore Cultivation to become the East Demerara Estates. The amalgamation and closure were carried out despite the fact that in the first crop of 2010, only three states had made their targets, these being Uitvlugt, Wales and LBI.
The insistence of Mr. Hanoman to the West Demerara Estates (Uitvlugt and Wales), did not find favour with the previous administration and so he was relieved of his duties. Mr. Bhim assumed responsibilities as CEO (ag) and managed to preside over continual decline during his tenure in that capacity. In fact, the lowest production of 187k tonnes of sugar was produced in 2013, in comparison to 1990 production of 129,000 tonnes.
Both gentlemen professed, despite their failures, that their removal from office was a result of political pressure and not incompetence. As such, with the change of administration in 2015, they were given a glorious opportunity to redeem themselves when the IMC was formed.
During that time, a COI was established to determine the way forward with GuySuCo and the recommendations emanation from the inquiry, were that no estate should be closed.
It is prudent to note at this juncture that the targets for 2014 and 2015 were met, the industry showing an upward production trend of 218k and 232k of sugar as opposed to 187k in 2013. With the advent of the IMC, a number of changes which included systems and staff movements were swiftly made prior to the commencement of the second crop, 2015.
This crop was very successful but everything was set for that production prior to the entrance of the IMC and so their inputs to the outcome of the crop were insignificant.
What transpired during the second half of 2015 was that the IMC failed to make proper representation as regards procurement of critical items which included fertilizers.
These came in November of 2015 with a large portion of 1st Crop 2016 canes yet to be fertilized, not to mention the 2nd crop canes that were being harvested and rationed or planted during this period. This led to late fertilizing of canes and thus, the dismal performance of 2016.
In addition, the equipment fleet of the company was not attended to through insipid management and this affected the rehabilitation of the cultivations going forward.
The lowly production figures of 182k in 2016 vs a budget of 242k and 137k vs a budget of 218k for 2016 and 2017 are reflective of this. In addition, failure to address the boilers of Skeldon Factory which would have cost US$1.0M, led to the factory being unable to grind during the first half of 2017, again a cardinal error on the part of the IMC.
The Government furnished the IMC with G$32B over a two-year period to move the industry forward to achieve the set goals and objectives and during that time, the IMC managed to reduce income by approximately G$ 52B and in the process, could not re-capitalize the industry. Apparently, they had a different thought process than that of the current administration and which led to the loss of thousands of jobs with the closure of Wales, East Demerara, Rose Hall and Skeldon Estates.
Not only did they manage to achieve the unthinkable, but they also managed to leave approximately G$60B worth of revenue in the fields in the form of unattended canes. Their pliancy for alternative livelihood of the workforce with no plan or financing on hand to support such ventures is tantamount to sacrilege and beyond the comprehension of any rational thinker.
The atrocities created by the IMC and which has led to the suffering of thousands including staff through their incompetence, are second to none and while Errol Hanoman beat a hasty retreat beyond the boundaries of Guyana, one is left to wonder why is Paul Bhim still on the payroll. If anything, he should have been held accountable too and put out to pasture. Their implementation of nepotism and cronyism, led to the recycling of mediocrity and the collapse of an Industry.
Enter Mr. Colvin Heath London, a young efficient executive with a vision for the company and who, within a short span of time since his appointment, has engineered quite effectively changes in the industry, the resuscitation of GuySuCo proper and of Rose Hall and Enmore Estates.
While the Rose Hall factory is not able to recommence grinding this first half because of the mammoth work required to get it going and which would be done during this off-season, canes from RH/Providence are being cut and delivered to the Albion factory in an effort to not only ensure continuity of the Albion Factory, but also give the people in the surrounding communities and Guyana, hope.
The Enmore Factory is slated to commence grinding operations this Sunday and Skeldon, in early April. This is taking into consideration that he started with nothing and the unabated resistance of the IMC certainly did not aid the process. Success for Mr. London is not an option, it is a must and so one must take pause to ponder why he has not sent Mr. Paul Bhim packing as yet.
With Heath-London on board and the actions and results he has already engineered, he has raised the morale and enthusiasm of the management team and work force. His strong leadership, surgical analysis and decision making has already set the tone in GuySuCo.
A knowledgeable insider
Where is the BETTER MANAGEMENT/RENEGOTIATION OF THE OIL CONTRACTS you promised Jagdeo?
Apr 19, 2024
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