News

THE SECOND day of debates on the 2014 Estimates kept the embattled sugar industry in focus, and Labour Minister Dr. Nanda Gopaul was firm in his defense of the industry, stressing that the current administration would fix sugar.“We will fix it; sugar will be improved before the end of the year,” he declared.

The industry is working with one long-term strategic plan. Among the measures to be undertaken to ensure a turnaround of the industry, which the allocation addresses, are: increase production and lower cost of production; diversify target markets, and expand value-added production in order to survive.

Dr Gopaul explained that the problem of the much-maligned Skeldon factory did not begin with the Chinese, in obvious reference to the group that was charged with effecting works on the facility. Rather, he said, those problems began with the management team brought in by the former People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR)administration.

“The matter is in court,” he said, declining to comment further on the subject, except to reiterate that the numerous failings in the industry were as a result of the team at reference.

He however appealed to the Opposition to behave as is expected of them as a government-in-waiting, and act objectively and in the interest of the nation.

Despite its challenges, the sugar industry remains relevant to the health of the national economy, according to Government. In 2013, sugar exports valued at US$112.2M accounted for 8.3 percent of total exports, and the industry contributed 3.9 percent of the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

The industry is projected to record an improvement of 15.6 percent in output over the 2013 output, recording 215,910 tonnes in 2014.

A whopping $6B has been allocated to the sector in the 2014 Budget, given the industry’s importance to national development.

Dr Nanda Kishore Gopaul is a former Chairman of the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo).
(Vanessa Narine)