GUYSUCO turnaround plan reaping results – Minister Persaud tells Parliamentary Committee
Georgetown, GINA, February 4, 2010
At a meeting of the Economic Services Committee of the National Assembly today, Minister of Agriculture, Robert Persaud, explained that the Guyana Sugar Corporation’s (GUYSUCO’s) Strategic Blueprint for Success, or turnaround plan, has been producing positive results.
He related to the committee that a cost reduction exercise undertaken by GUYSUCO has seen costs cut by $2B, with management costs, which were highlighted by the media as being excessive, cut by $300M in 2009.
In cane production, Minister Persaud highlighted that the cost of cultivating a hectare of land has been reduced to $490,000 from $650,000. Further, private cane farmers have been enthusiastically answering the call of Government to produce more cane. In 2009, these farmers surpassed the targeted production level established by more than 50%, and several new persons and farming cooperatives have shown an interest in continuing to expand private sugar cane cultivation, both in Demerara and Berbice.
The Agriculture Minister also pointed to the commissioning of the new, state-of-the-art Skeldon sugar factory which has boosted the capacity of the industry to produce sugar and added another revenue stream for GUYSUCO through its co-generation facility which has been supplying power to the Berbice electricity grid.
In fact, he noted that the co-generation facility has been a “salvation to Berbice’s electricity woes”, covering the shortfall in supply.
Minister Persaud also stressed that efforts are being focused on reducing procurement costs and getting better use out of existing resources (improving efficiency).
However, he stressed that much work still has to be completed for GUYSUCO to return to profitability, which is expected in 2012. He noted that it has been calculated that the breakeven point of sugar production for the industry is 310,000 tonnes and it will take some time to return the industry to that level.
Production in 2009 was 234,000 tonnes of sugar and for 2010, the production target is 280,000.
The Agriculture Minister indicated that the cultivation of land and industrial relations are areas where more efforts have to be concentrated but assured the Committee that Government remains committed to the viability of the sugar industry.
He pointed to the financing that Government provided recently to the industry of $5.4B as an indication of this commitment. Of this amount, $4B was cash injected by the Ministry of Housing and Water for 2,000 acres of land for housing development on the East Bank of Demerara, and remainder represented $1.4B in interest payments on outstanding loans to the Administration that was waived.
Further, $2.4B is being invested in the development of the Enmore sugar packaging facility. It will consist of one module which has the capacity to package 40,000 tonnes of sugar annually and which would be sold at 40-45% above the price of bulk sugar. Also, additional modules can be added to the facility which would boost its capacity.
As a result of the turnaround plan, GUYSUCO has shifted from a loss of $6B in 2008 to a marginal one in 2009, and with continued effort, will become profitable by 2012.
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No plans to retrench, lay off sugar workers – Minister Persaud
Georgetown, GINA, February 4, 2010
Minister of Agriculture, Robert Persaud, today stressed that Government has no intention of retrenching any sugar worker as the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GUYSUCO) continues to implement its Strategic Blueprint for Success, or turnaround plan.
The Minister was, at the time, before the Economic Services Committee of the National Assembly to give testimony on GUYSUCO and the sugar industry, and to outline the work of Government to ensure the viability of a sector of the economy that generates a significant number of jobs and foreign exchange for Guyana.
Minister Persaud was responding to member of the Committee, People’s National Congress Reform (PNC/R) Member of Parliament (MP) Winston Murray, who had pointed out that the turnaround plan, which was submitted to the Committee, had shown that the number of labourers employed by the Corporation would fall each year up to 2014. This, Murray said, was in correlation to the increased use of mechanization by GUYSUCO which would see 41% of cultivated lands harvested and loaded by mechanical means.
However, the Agriculture Minister disabused the notion that there was any correlation to the increased use of mechanization, noting that attrition in the sugar industry’s workforce, poor labour turnout and the shift towards other job opportunities as the reasons for the turnaround plan showing less staff being employed by GUYSUCO over the coming years.
In fact, he noted that it is because of the lack of labour that the Corporation is turning to mechanization, to effectively harvest its cultivated lands.
Minister Persaud indicated that people’s interest in working in the sugar industry has waned as Government’s efforts to diversify Guyana’s economic base and invest in education and other social services has resulted in many other competing job opportunities which have better remuneration.
This, he said, was more prevalent in the younger generation, and pointed out that already, GUYSUCO has been facing staff shortages and was forced, in the past, to bring labourers from Blairmont, West Berbice to work on the East Demerara estates.
Finally, Minister Persaud noted that the numbers in the turnaround plan are only projections and can change as conditions evolve within the industry. However, as the representative of Government responsible for sugar, he stressed the Administration’s position that no sugar workers will face redundancy.
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Town Clerk, City Treasurer’s services terminated
Georgetown, GINA, January 04, 2010
Minister of Local Government and Regional Development, Kellawan Lall has issued letters, terminating the services of Town Clerk of the Georgetown Municipality, Beulah Williams and City Treasurer, Roderick Edinboro of the same municipality.
The letters were issued on January 28 following a special investigation carried out by the Auditor General (AG), Deodat Sharma (ag) in 2008, in relation to aspects of management and financial systems, on the recommendation of the Mayor.
With regards to the termination of Williams, a Commission of Inquiry was set up under the direction of Minister Lall to investigated irregularities identified in the AG’s report as it relates to the following areas: the Office of the Town Clerk, Office of the City Treasurer, loans to members of staff and others, advances on salaries to staff members, irregularities in rates collection, municipal bank accounts in commercial banks, and restructuring municipal departments and operations. The Commission was headed by Keith Burrowes.
Burrowes in his report stated that “cumulatively, the evidence has revealed a substantial demeaning of the integrity of the Town Clerk’s Office. Moreover, this mismanagement contributes to the on-going depreciation of the image of the Mayor and City Council (M&CC), as an effective mechanism for the delivery of social goods and services to the citizenry of Georgetown.”
A pattern of insubordination, transgression of policies, rules and regulations, display of self-indulgence and sheer defiance of the Council were also cited in the report.
Steps were made to terminate the services of the Treasurer after the investigations which covered the period between January 2002 to December 31, 2007 revealed inconsistencies in the records for salaries and wages, coupled with the payment of annual leave without proper approval.
The investigation carried out, focused on several issues that became key aspects of concern under Edinboro’s stewardship. These included a particular case where officers were granted loans and advances without approval by the relevant authority.
Other issues that were cited in the report included questionable reconciliation bank statements, dysfunctional system in the collection of rates and taxes, and over spending on consultancy and purchase of software, which are not functioning properly.
Based on this investigation, the Burrowes report stated that evidence of the incompetence of the Treasurer is explicit and overwhelming.
Further, it stated that it is a reflection of the indifference and negligence, not only of the incumbent’s immediate supervisor, but also of the Finance Committee and the Council as a whole and that such a degree of malfunctioning could have been perpetuated over an extended period of time.
The termination of both Williams and Edinboro was effective from January 31. However, outstanding benefits that they are entitled to, will be paid to them in full minus whatever debts or other financial obligations owed by them to the City Council.
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School feeding programme commences
GINA, Georgetown, February 4, 2010
In an effort to promote an atmosphere of learning and productivity, the Ministry of Education commenced its school feeding programme on February 2.
A distribution team today visited several schools including West Ruimveldt Primary and the Alexander Village and Agricola Nursery Schools.
This teacher of Alexander Village Nursery distributes the snacks provided by the Education Ministry to students of her class. February 4, 2010
The snack, of crackers and fruit juice, was appreciatively received by students who expressed gratitude for the kind gesture.
The snack is to be distributed to students of nursery schools as well as primary students of Grades One and Two.
President Bharrat Jagdeo had recently announced that Government will be spending $800M this year on a nationwide school feeding programme, cognizant of the fact that good nutrition plays an important role in improving the concentration of students at school.
Students of the West Ruimveldt receiving their snack provided by the Ministry of Education. February 4, 2010
A similar programme is ongoing in the hinterland communities where students are benefitting from hot meals and in some areas peanut butter with cassava bread.
Government allocated $710M in 2009 to expand the school feeding programme to be effected at 100 primary schools in Regions One, Seven, Eight and Nine.
In its quest to reduce illiteracy government has introduced several initiatives including the provision of school uniforms, text books and the school feeding programme.
Students of Agricola Nursery School about to partake in the snacks provided by the Ministry of Education through its school feeding programme. February 4, 2010
The feeding programme is expected to bring about a marked difference in the attendance rate at schools especially in depressed communities.
It was initially introduced as part of a poverty eradication project aimed at assisting families who were unable to provide sufficient meals for their children.
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Home Affairs Ministry re-launches Community Action Programme
-entails crime prevention projects to promote social development
Georgetown, GINA, February 04, 2010
Government continues to make strategic interventions to eradicate the crime and violence in communities. In line with this objective, the Ministry of Home Affairs is re-launching the Community Action Component (CAC), which is an important aspect of the Citizen Security Programme (CSP).
Coordinator of the CSP, Khemraj Rai in an exclusive interview with the Government Information Agency (GINA) said that the CAC, which was initially launched in 2007, was suspended for a year (2008-2009) to cater for a review of its structure.
He explained that the revised programme will see the involvement of 10 communities, five of which are already identified by the Government. These communities include: Rosehall and Port Mourant in Region Six, and Buxton, Annandale and Sophia in Region Four. However, interventions are being made to include Lusignan and Agricola. If the selected communities are accommodative, persons from other communities can also be part of the programme.
Coordinator of the Citizen Security Programme (CSP), Khemraj Rai discussing the re-launch of the Community Action Component (CAC) at the Home Affairs Ministry’s sub office, Ogle
Rai explained that during the course of the former CAC programme, much focus was placed on the upliftment of adults and youths through workshops and seminars, to instill in them the moral responsibilities that will enable them to become responsible and productive citizens.
“It is an effort to deter youths from getting attracted to crime and criminal activities,” he said.
The restructured programme is designed to particularly target school dropouts between the ages of 14-25, through training that will be delivered in two components, skills training as well as building entrepreneurial/business capacities. Additionally, youths will be able to benefit from literacy and numeracy classes.
Rai said that they will work to assist the selected communities to form councils; this will be followed by the election of an executive body that will in turn nominate a Community Action Officer (CAO), who will be tasked with monitoring the activities of the councils. This person he said, functions as the liaison between the community and the CSP.
The communities will be tasked with identifying the youths who will be involved in the programme as well as the needs assessment. The Home Affairs Ministry on the other hand, will provide the guidance and resources.
Each community will be given a chance to identify three ‘quick wind’ projects and will be given US $5000 to expend on each project, which may include rehabilitation of recreational centers, procurement of equipment and books.
The CSP was established to use a comprehensive structure of crime and violence prevention strategies to assist in decreasing the present crime rate in Guyana. The CSP will also facilitate smaller community action projects that are geared to promote community cohesion and intra-community camaraderie.
The goal of the CAC is to assist communities to become sustainable in their function as a neighborhood in which all persons are included in the creation of a safe environment and young people are provided with opportunities that will prevent them from participating in criminal and violent activities.
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‘Zero tolerance’ campaign on squatting to be forcefully pursued
- Region Three squatting areas on radar-Housing Minister
Georgetown, GINA, February 04, 2010
The ‘zero tolerance’ campaign on squatting will be forcefully pursued in the coming months to rectify the issue of squatting and remove persons who are illegally occupying government reserves, Minister of Housing and Water Irfaan Ali disclosed recently.
He said there are a number of ‘zero tolerance’ areas that his Ministry is working aggressively towards, to prevent the development of emerging settlements and manage those that can be regularised.
There would be no negotiations or compromise, the Housing Minister said in areas that cannot be regularised.
Minister Ali said squatters who are at present occupying the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority’s reserve in Stanleytown, Plastic City and Skull City, Region Three are critical on his Ministry’s agenda for action.
“This year would see a lot of aggression in terms of dealing comprehensively with the issue of squatting,” he said.
The Housing Minister pointed out that his Ministry is also considering formalizing an inter-agency task force between the Housing Ministry, the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA), National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA), the Ministry of Public Works’ Sea Defence Unit and the Regional Administration.
The committee will determine strong measures and actions to deal with the issue of squatting and will also monitor reserves to ensure that squatters do not re-emerge. This is an important activity that the Ministry would be embarking on this year, Minister Ali said.
Providing an update on the Anna Catherina/Cornelia Ida Sea View squatters’ issue, the Minister was happy to report that all persons located along the Anna Catherina sea defence reserve had visited the Ministry and most of them had accepted to take up offers at the Parfaite/Harmonie housing scheme.
He stated that those persons who would have sold their houselots have removed themselves from the issue and have visited the Ministry and requested a grace period to remove.
“We are now negotiating and talking with to them and hoping to have that area cleared,” he said.
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Agri. Minister appeals for regional response to combat Black Sigatoka
Georgetown, GINA, February 04, 2010
Minister of Agriculture Robert Persaud is appealing for urgent regional action to combat the dreadful disease, Black Sigatoka a deadly fungal disease currently affecting the plantain and banana industry in the Region.
This effort will require the cooperation of all stakeholders including researchers, regional institutions and farmers.
Minister Persaud in a letter penned to several agencies and Caricom Secretary General Dr. Edwin Carrington, requested that resources be made available to mount a regional response through an appropriate mechanism.
He stated that there are reports of serious infestation in the Windward Islands, especially in Dominica and St. Vincent and the Grenadines. Other countries including St. Lucia, Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago are also suspected to be affected.
In Guyana it is noted, that this is no different as significant acreages of plantain and banana have been affected by a suspected Black Sigatoka outbreak.
To fight against this disease, the Agriculture Ministry has embarked upon a series of activities including disease identification, disease assessment in fields, disease management strategies and training of staff and farmers.
The Ministry has convened an urgent meeting with its Chief Scientists to review the situation and craft an action plan in collaboration with related regional institutions/agencies, Minister Persaud said.
These activities are coordinated by the newly created MUSA Disease Management Unit, under the umbrella of the National Agricultural Research Institute.
The plantain and banana industry is a very significant source of revenue for farmers, especially the vulnerable smallholders. If the problem is not addressed urgently, it will result in the loss of foreign exchange earnings and consequently the livelihoods of farmers, he noted.
Approximately 88 million tonnes of bananas and plantains are produced in more than 120 countries throughout the world. However, only about 13 million tonnes enter trade.
Bananas rank among the most valuable of agricultural export crops in several CARICOM countries, including Belize, Dominica, Grenada, Jamaica, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines and Suriname, where thousands of tonnes per year enter trade. Plantains are valuable Caribbean food and are traded in significant quantities intra regionally.
In this regard, the Ministry is requesting resources be made available to mount a regional response through an appropriate mechanism.
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Wakapau village gets assistance for Amerindian Affairs Ministry
-to boost village economy
Georgetown, GINA, February 4, 2010
The Ministry of Amerindian Affairs has been dedicating resources towards the improvement of the standard of living of Amerindians across the country, moreso, for those who reside in hinterland communities. The Ministry consults with villages to ascertain various needs so that they can be addressed.
Yamaha engine presented to Wakapau village, Region 2
In satisfying the needs of the Wakapau village, Region 2, Minister of Amerindian Affairs, Pauline Sukhai today handed over tools and equipment comprising a solar panel and peripheral devices, a Yamaha engine and several mechanical cassava graters at a cost of $800,000 to Toshao, Lloyd Pereira and Councillor, Dennis Richards.
Mechanical cassava graters purchased for the cassava bread enterprise in Wakapau village, Region 2
The Minister noted that the items will help to boost transportation, provide additional power supply and also help to produce more cassava bread for commercial purposes which will see the growth of the village economy.
Solar panel handed over to Wakapau village, Region 2
The Toshao expressed gratitude for the generous contribution noting that the mechanical cassava grater is important to Wakapau since it is largely dependent on cassava. Each woman in the village produces 500 lbs of grated cassava in three days for making cassava bread for commercial purposes. As such the cassava graters will help to triple production and foster the expansion of the cassava bread enterprise.
The engine and solar panel will also aid the operations of the daily lives of the village’s residents.
Minister of Amerindian Affairs, Pauline Sukhai presenting tools and equipment to Toshao, Lloyd Pereira, (from left Councillor, Dennis Richards, Minister Sukhai, and Toshao Pereira)
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