President: ‘We will make sugar great again’

President Dr. Irfaan Ali has said that the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic government will “make sugar great again,” noting that it is still a vital resource.
He made the statement while addressing residents and officials at the commemoration ceremony in observance of Enmore Martyrs’ Day at Enmore yesterday.
The President, in his address, said the sacrifice of the Enmore martyrs was not only about the conditions on the sugar estates, but part of a larger struggle for economic justice in a land where sugar was the backbone of national and rural economies.
President Ali went on to state that the Enmore martyrs died at a time when sugar was the backbone of Guyana’s economy—the single largest employer, exporter, and a main source of income in rural Guyana.
The fight for dignity in the sugar field, he noted, was also one for the economic soul of the nation and economy.
President Ali posited that the government remains committed to securing a future where sugar remains central to national development.

“And though the times have changed, the importance of sugar has not. The role in sustaining livelihoods, communities, and entire regions remains vital even today. Therefore, let no one dare tell you that sugar is a relic, that it is dead, that it is a burden. Because they would not only be wrong, they would be dangerously mistaken. Sugar is still vital, especially to the rural economy. It directly and indirectly supports about one-fifth of our population. Each estate serves as a hub for economic and social life,” he said.
Highlighting the importance of the industry, the President pointed out that it provides jobs not only for cane harvesters, but for mechanics, welders, clerks, drivers, technicians, and engineers.
He said it also ensures the circulation of money in rural communities, sustains families, and supports households.

He further pointed to the role of the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) in community development over the years.The President said when the government returned to office, the sugar industry was a graveyard of mismanagement, and thousands of workers had been sent home following the closure of estates.
“We were not and we are not a government that throws up our hands and walk away from problems. What we inherited was broken, but today, it is being rebuilt under this People’s Progressive Party Civic [government]. And make no mistake, we will make sugar great again. GuySuCo has begun to fight its way back. As of recent, factory downtime is down by 22 per cent. Cane yields have risen by 11 per cent. Investments are being made in predictive maintenance, automation and drone assisted field monitoring,” he noted.
He added that mechanisation is also being rolled out to support operations in the face of labour shortages, in addition to the move towards value-added packaging to increase the value of exports.
President Ali also spoke of plans to engage the workers’ union and discuss how workers can be owners of this mechanisation process and how work can be made easier for sugar workers, ensuring they are part of the revitalisation process.