– It’s really not “Walking on Sunshine”By An ObserverAs a concerned and empathetic employee of the Guyana Sugar Corporation for over 20 years I wish to address some of the criticisms that have been thrown the way of the Board of Directors. Firstly I must admit my own personal disgust with the recent spate of disparagements leveled at the Corporation and more specifically at the Corporation’s Board.I also wish to use this medium to remind our critics of some of the measures which the current Board in itself has put in place as well as how heartily and conscientiously they have been working to do their outmost best in the fight to revive our Sugar Industry.No one needs to be reminded of the sugar industry’s significance and importance – having existed for more than 300 years the sugar industry still remains a significant player in the national economy retaining the position of being the largest single employer in the Caribbean – providing direct employment to a range of between 17,000 to approximately 18,500 workers and perhaps even with more profound worth the indirect employment to more than 150,000 Guyanese.Surely we can only fathom the extent to which this constant caustic derailing and belittlement through letters to Editors and other means can affect these individuals and the corporation’s management and staff.After careful scrutiny of the direct “battering” on GUYSUCOs management – its Board in particular – I can most out rightly conclude that not only are these arguments grossly exaggerated but they are blatantly questioning of the capabilities of the management which comes off as belittling and demoralizing in most cases and scenarios that have arisen in our press.On the criticism that there is no agriculturalist on the Board, this is not true, the Board currently has two serving agriculturalists. Additionally, the Board is supported in its decision-making in this area, by a team of several agricultural specialists and other technical staff and agencies both locally overseas.It seems that some critics want to have a board made up of only agriculturalists. If this is the standard practice when composing a Board than it follows that a Brewery Company would have a board comprising of only qualified Brewers. There is no wisdom in this opinion.Are these persons aware that any state company’s Board is appointed by the highest office in the land? Do they care that to question the integrity of officials of a state-run entity by extension defies the good judgment of the country’s highest authority? Then why then is there persistence in vilification and subjugation? When will this end?I will begin my argument by highlighting the biggest issue the corporation has at the moment and in all truthfulness they have had for some time now – the issue of production decline so often written about in the press – which has also been compounded by financial problems as well as what I can call sub-standard practices in the general working arena of the company.Most of the general public would not know this, but it is the current Board that enacted the immediate move towards mechanization that has been so necessary to complement the decline in worker-attendance and to certain levels guarantee increase in the tonnes of cane provided to the factories of the different estates. Additionally the return to practices of the past – one of which is flood fallow – is being resuscitated and certainly will become more visible during the Second Crop of this year. This is an immediate guarantee for improved yields based on analysis and consultations which have been conducted in the past and current.On the factory side – the Board which has the mandate of setting out Policies and direction on the way forward – has constantly involved their technical staff – both locally and regionally – in improving the output of our processing units. Not to mention the extensive training to which various levels of staff are exposed to ensure that our levels of maintenance of the equipment are upheld and the need for foreign consultants becomes diminishing.During the Out-of-Crop season, long awaited upgrades and systems to guarantee improvements would be carried out, this again an initiative taken by the board. One which has been in combination with improved procurement practices has certainly in my opinion, has had significant savings.In the area of finance,Wholesale Stitched Jerseys, the board and management have taken appropriate measures in dealing with defaulters which has in turn resulted in savings. Further, hundreds of millions of dollars pass through the corporation yearly particularly in the area of procurement.The Board has recognized that to some extent the old procurement policies were outdated and to my understanding revised the Procurement Policy after a series of consultations access the industry. The newly developed Procurement Plan which assures of a tight rein on unnecessary spending is currently being implemented.In fact, some board members have confidently argued that this change resulted in savings of more than $500M during 2012 (projecting to save $1B in 2013), a direct mandate from the Board to the management through the new Procurement Policy.I myself have seen the amount of work put into this new Procurement Plan and strategy, the work done by some board members on this new procedure has gone beyond what I think is a board member’s duty. Extensive man-hour and outreach sessions have been conducted in ensuring that the best and optimum practices will be put in place to guarantee the best for Guysuco in regards to purchasing.I’m glad to say that the new plan has been implemented and from all indications it’s proving to be as fruitful as envisaged.
