GuySuCo responds to Uitvlugt factory workers report

May 12, 2022 Letters

Dear Editor,

The Guyana Sugar Corporation Inc. (GuySuCo) wishes to respond to the publication in the Wednesday, May 11, 2022 edition of the “Kaieteur News” newspaper; which is labelled “Uitvlugt sugar factory workers worried about future”.
According to the American Press Institute, the essence of the work of any professional journalist is to find and present “the facts” and also “the truth about the facts.” At minimum in seeking out the facts, it is expected that any professional journalist would have at least reached out to the Communications Department of the Corporation to seek clarity so that all sides of the issue could have been corroborated.
At no time this was done, but what appeared in that newspaper was nothing else but an incomplete report that does not present the full facts and the full truth behind these facts. This state of affair is most unfortunate.
His Excellency, Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali, while engaging sugar workers at the Uitvlugt Community Centre on April 15, 2022, instructed that at least six (6) days of work per week be offered to them. The Management of Uitvlugt Estate immediately complied with the instruction given by the President by offering six (6) to seven (7) days’ work to the affected sugar workers who presented themselves to work from week ending April 23, 2022.
In the Agriculture Department, workers were offered planting, manual weeding, chemical spraying, sideline and cross canal cleaning, fertilizing, carpentry works, machine and punt repairs among other tasks. In the factory, workers were offered work associated with the Factory’s Out of Crop Maintenance Programme. This included repairs to carriers, pumps, juice heaters, gear boxes, vacuum pans and the factory roof. The same situation still persists this week, which is the “Third Week Holiday with Pay” (10 Years Pay) where the workers, despite they were paid for the week (should be on holiday), have the option to work and gain additional earnings.
The Management of Uitvlugt Estate stands firmly with the promises made by His Excellency and continues to make work available to those who are willing to work, so as to afford the affected sugar workers with every opportunity to increase their weekly earnings.
At this point, the Corporation wishes to thank the sugar workers for their patience and understanding during this unfortunate period.
The latest update from the manufacturer in Texas pertaining to the components needed for the factory is that it will be transported to Guyana by air in late May 2022. The local engineering teams are on standby to effect the installation immediately upon receipt and the factory should be in a state of readiness for the commencement of the Second Crop of 2022.

Guyana Sugar Corporation