President Dr. Irfaan Ali on Thursday met with residents during a walkabout in the community of Crabwood Creek where he addressed many national and community issues including the rebuilding of the sugar industry.
The resident who raised concerns regarding the sugar industry
Responding to the concerns of one resident, Dr. Ali said among the difficulties faced is getting the workers needed.
Though the government had rehired several workers retrenched by the former APNU+AFC government, Dr. Ali said the sugar industry is still short of the labour needed to push production.
“Right now we need workers.
“We are not getting the workers we need,” Dr. Ali said as he implored the resident to submit the names of anyone who may be interested in working for the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo).
Because of this difficulty with finding workers, Dr. Ali said the government is moving to expedite mechanization.
Work is ongoing to also put a new management in place which includes the hiring of a new Chief Executive Officer for GuySuCo and to return some 5,000 hectares of land at the Skeldon Estate to production.
“We are rebuilding the industry… we brought back thousands of jobs, paid severance to workers,” Dr. Ali told the residents.
Already the government has reopened the Rose Hall Estate which was among those estates closed by the former APNU+AFC government.
And though the crop last year was not what was expected because of prolonged dry weather, the Presidents said the first crop of 2024 will be much better with the industry anticipating 100, 000 tonnes this year.
“We came back and invested in the industry and rehired workers because we know sugar is viable,” he added.
Earlier this week, the first group of a total of 21 Cuban engineers traveling and will be attached to GuySuCo to help the government with its revitalization efforts.
The government has also allocated a total of $6 billion for GuySuCo in the 2024 National Budget to bolster its production and operational efficiency.