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The Alliance For Change notes with extreme concern the loss of €6 M (six million Euros) by GUYSUCO and the Government of Guyana resulting from not meeting the European Commission’s deadline in March 2008 for delivery of the Business Plan for the sugar industry.
This loss vindicates what the AFC has been saying all along – the ineptitude and incompetence of those in charge of the sugar industry. Their passion to look after this industry has been overtaken by their passion to look after themselves. On the one hand, they spend little time deliberating on the major policy issues of the day which are relevant and material to nation-building; and, on the other, they arrogantly exclude ideas from persons who want to be involved.
This utterly casual and lackadaisical performance by the Government and its surrogate Company will break the back of this most important industry.
Were Donald Ramoutar, Robert Persaud and Komal Chand, all of whom are big wigs in the PPP, the Government and GUYSUCO just sleeping?
The AFC is very happy that the European Commission has forthrightly come out with the reason for the loss. It debunks the PPP’s propaganda at the local levels in the sugar estate areas, and even in the Press, where its spinners like Prem Misir have been insinuating that the problems in the sugar industry are as a result of the handwork of imperialists from Europe, and not Government’s incompetence and massive mismanagement.
Most dishonourably, the Minister of Agriculture, when he was being questioned in the Economic Services Committee on 11th July 2008, never at any stage disclosed this massive loss of monies totaling $1.4 B (one point four billion), a loss which he ought to have known by that time. Rather, the Minister carried on as if all was well in the industry, and portrayed how magnificent a job he and his team were doing. He ought to have disclosed this important loss to the Economic Services Committee as part of his bounden duty to give an accurate and honest status report on the sugar industry.
The following Hansard record encapsulates his attitude which is characteristic of very little transparency and openness. He was being asked for the same plans which could not be provided to the EU.
Mr. Khemraj Ramjattan: Are we going to get these documents? They are so important that we get them!
Hon Robert Persaud: No, the documents will be provided once we complete the various……we are engaged in discussions with the EU and some other stakeholders in finalizing……
Mr. Khemraj Ramjattan: How early?
Hon Robert Persaud: I do not want to tell…
Mr. Khemraj Ramjattan: Give us a projection.
Hon Robert Persaud: I would say some time in the last quarter of 2008.
Would the Office of the President send these incompetents packing? Hardly likely! This is definitely discriminatory treatment when compared to what was meted out to Mr. Ivor English of TH&D against whom an allegation of overspending some $20M for a Sports Club was made. At least in English’s case the asset is there. Yet he had to go. In this sordid fiasco $1.4B (Guy) has just dissipated and those big-wigs involved will never be penalized. Instead you will see that they will be promoted.
Tel: 226-9555 or 623-8924
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