Remarks By Hon. Robert Persaud, MBA, M.P., Minister of Agriculture

GuySuCo Honours Roll Ceremony, Skeldon, 30^th June, 2007.

 Firstly let me bring you greetings from His Excellency President Bharrat Jagdeo who we all would have been happy to be here today to join in the celebrations of this worthy recognition of dedicated sugar workers. PRESIDENT Jagdeo himself would have been delighted to be present with us but demands of duty of state prevented his presence.

 PERSONALLY, I HAVE A FEELING OF A SENSE OF ATTAINMENT; THIS FEELING OF ATTAINMENT MAKES ME FEEL SPECIAL; AFTER ALL, I AM PRIVILEGED TO BE AMONG CHAMPIONS. LET ME SAY FROM THE OUTSET, WARM AND SINCERE CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR BERBICE ESTATE CHAMPIONS AS WELL AS TO THEIR RUNNERS UP. YOU HAVE DONE WELL TO JOIN THE RANK OF CHAMPIONS AND RUNNERS UP AT A CRUCIAL TIME.

 I said crucial time because of your efforts and because of the efforts of your fellow workers at both the management and non-management levels, we can speak with a certainty about a sugar industry tomorrow. Your dedication, your hard work are qualities of true patriots to the industry.

 Continue to strive for EXCELLENCE… ladies and gentlemen and your dedication and achievements would not be lost on us, nor would these be lost on those persons who would be acknowledging you as patriots to your country when this period of our history is being written.

 Government is aware of the realities that are confronting our sugar industry. These challenges do overlap onto other areas of  our economy.

 What we do when problems tend to confront and are threatening to overwhelm us? Do we die the death? Certainly not! Indeed, when we are faced with such obstacles, we fight the fight! And sugar workers and all Guyanese are known fighters once inspired by sound and strong leadership

 It took a Visionary and a tough nut to crack in the form of our President Bharrat Jagdeo to lead this Nation despite the severe cuts to our sugar price and the attendant problems, to lead this Nation during those dark days and uncertain nights of negotiations with the European Union, the World Bank, and the International Monetary Fund. It took a Visionary in President Bharrat Jagdeo to display the kind of toughness that is helping to bring us to the point of rising to another level, and to bring our economy to the point nearer success. Through his leadership we are the most prepared sugar industry to mitigate the drastic EU price cuts.

 It is the vision and his statesmanship that cause the Caribbean Nations to rally around the renewed agriculture drive, hailed by the Caricom Leaders as the Jagdeo Initiative.

                                                                              

But you honour roll employees are shining examples of fighters inspired by that effective leadership.

 I am confident, and I know our champions and their runners up by their performance through dint of hard work are confident, and many of you workers who at this point could not win the championship are also confident that we would rise above all threatening tides and together as a people we would swim on the waves of success unto higher levels in this industry and in our beloved Republic.

The story of each of you honourees should inspire your colleagues but all workers in Guyana. I say congratulations again; but I also say to you are nearing the tape; try and try again and who knows but that with increasing effort on your part we will meet again to give due recognition to you as champions.

 FAMILES OF THESE SUCCESSFUL WORKERS HAVE BEEN MAKING SACRIFICES BEYOND NORMAL MEASURES FOR THEM TO SUCCCEED. WIVES WHO AWAKE IN THE WEE HOURS OF THE MORNING TO PREPARE MEALS AND OTHER CHORES MUST NOT BE FORGOTTEN AS WE SHOWER PRAISES ON THEIR SIBLINGS AND OTHE RELATIVES FOR THEIR SUCCESS.

 Earlier today, we conducted another update inspection of the Skeldon Sugar Modernisation Project, more known as SSMP. As you know this project has two elements---factory and agriculture. On completion the factory will have the capacity of producing 116,000 tonnes of raw sugar annually, from 1.1 million tones of cane.

 It incorporates modern technologies from many different countries which will combine to give it very high efficiencies of extraction and boiling house recovery. One of the features of this factory will be a high degree of automation, designed to keep the various stations within the factory operating at optimum efficiency. This will require significant investment in training of factory employees, all of which has been planned.

Very similar equipment, but on a smaller scale, is being installed in the Blairmont factory to provide hands-on training for employees.

The factory has been designed as a co-generation factory, capable of supplying 10 MW of electrical power to the national grid. For most of the year the fuel will be bagasse from the sugar cane. The factory also has three diesel generators, one 5 MW and two 2.5 MW, which will ensure a constant supply of power. The base-load for Berbice is estimated at 10 MW and so the factory will be contributing to a stable supply for the County.

Therefore, my brothers and sisters in Berbice can look forward to direct and indirect benefits from the SSMP when this comes on steam. Each visit to the SSMP site is bringing new hopes and encouragement and I trust that in time we will be meeting here at Skeldon for another celebration and I know residents of Berbice are also looking forward to that day.

 Meanwhile, I am happy to report that here at Skeldon, progress is continuing.

 It is good news that the first connection to the grid is in progress and the first export of diesel generated power is due late in 2007. This will be a 13.8 KV supply of up to 6 MW to Upper Corentyne , east of the GPL sub-station at No. 53 Village, The factory will be able to supply to 10 MW of power when the 69 KV national grid is extended from No. 53 sub-station to Skeldon.

 In agriculture, the 1.1 million tonnes of cane per year represents about three times the current production of Skeldon estate. The additional cane will be produced from about 4,700 hectares of new estate lands in Manarabisi and about 4,200 hectares of new farmers’ lands both next to the estate and at Moleson Creek.  The estate area will be almost doubled, and the farmers’ area more than 10 times greater than the present area.

 To expand on such a scale, it has been necessary to consider the water management of the whole area.  In dry weather, it is not possible for Skeldon estate to draw more water from the Canje that it is doing now. Therefore to supply the estate and farmers’ expansion, water storage is necessary. This will be achieved by raising dams around the natural conservancy to the ‘back’ of the estate.  The total area will be about 7,400 hectares which will be fed by the natural catchments to the south of 35 000 hectares and re-circulated drainage water pumped from the estate. These conservancies will also benefit the Crabwood Creek D&I scheme as water should be available for rice production. 

 As you can see from what I have been saying, great things are ahead. This makes it more binding on us to perform well on the job. We all need to be champions. Champions as you can see have admirable high attendance at work. We must also bring an end to unnecessary absenteeism.

 Management is obligated to keep open the doors of discussions and the doors of negotiations on issues affecting workers…I’m sure they know that. We know too that needs to improve on its organization of labour. This is necessary for so many reasons and all these reasons are good ones. With better organization we can more efficiently manage our operations and march to our targets.

 When we strike or absent ourselves during good sunny weather we run the risk of producing the same acreage of canes alright but the quality may not be the same in that sucrose level in canes tends to drop during rainy periods. More than that, records show that the cost of producing sugar under adverse conditions, and the tonnage of sugar likely to be produced drops significantly.

 So, comrades please, please, please, you and your representatives please talk to management and settle whatever issues need to be settled. We cannot afford to hinder our markets nor can we afford to produce sugar during unpleasant periods when the returns are more costly. We all must behave as Champion Workers if we want to champion the problems confronting the sugar industry and thus gear ourselves to benefit from the successes we work to achieve.

 Let me share with you some relevant data:

 1. the supply cane for the new factory will require 3,400 cane cutters. Today, just about 550 of the 950 we have on the roll  turn out. So the corporation had to plan accordingly especially to intensify its mechanization.

 2. actual grinding of the East Berbice Estate have been falling from 122 hours per week to as low as 93 hours per week.

 3. If poor attendance and loss of production time continue at last crop’s level, the corporation can loose revenue totaling $1.4 billion and unable to service markets on time.  

 That’s the reality!

 I want to say congratulations to management and staff for surpassing your 100,000 tonnes target. I know it requires hard work, dedication, etc. I want to assure you that Government truly appreciates this kind of dedication. Our presence here today to celebrate your achievements with you is but one indication of our appreciation.

 Now for the target of 280,000 tonnes, We can make it. Remember the saying—whatsoever a man can conceive and believe, he can achieve…let us strive to attain that goal and we can… in school we used to sing let us cooperate for Guyana. We are now positioned to put our songs into action and we can achieve.

 But management too has to enhance its effectiveness. We must ensure efficient use of all resources. Wastage must be further reduced. The company’s resources and assets must be protected and managed properly. I have directed the Board and CEO to deal accordingly with all acts of corruption at any level.

 I want each worker to not only view themselves as an employee but as a shareholder. This company belongs to the workers and the people of Guyana. Managers and workers should be committed and carryout your responsibilities as if it were your personal enterprise. That’s the mindset we must cultivate.

 I want to assure you that the sugar industry will continue to be pivotal. Its future is secured if we all play our part.

 To today’s champions workers your contribution will add to the sugar industry remaining a Champion player in our economy.

 Thank you