GuySuCo to provide better, reliable factory services

– Director of Factories Operation (Ag)

The Guyana Sugar Corporation is (GuySuCo) is advancing plans to revitalise the industry by upgrading equipment at working factories, revamping maintenance programmes and augmenting skills sets.

Director of Factories Operation (Ag.)  Mr. Vijay Gobardhan made this disclosure at a press briefing on Monday at Roraima House, LBI Estate Compound.

Mr. Gobardhan said the plant maintenance programme will be revamped to ensure mechanical reliability at the mills is sustained.  The programme will also be implemented at the other estates on their reopening.

“As we take up the value chain, we also will go up in the production level. Come next four to five years from now, we will see production stepping up to twice and more,” he said.

The acting Director revealed that the company lost production time during the last crop because of the poor condition and functionality of the equipment.

“There were canes in the dock to grind, but the factory is down. It affected the recovery in the factory and getting out your crop on time, and we don’t want that to ever happen again. We want to have a continuity and flow,” he said.

Importantly, steps are being taken to ensure that the quality of the product is enhanced so that consumers receive value for money.

Further, GuySuCo will be recruiting skilled personnel to work at the estates as there is a shortage of professional workers, Mr. Gobardhan said.  

“We are investing in mechanical and electrical engineers, and chemists. We will train them and develop our management team and workers’ skill,” he said.

The company is also in discussions with the University of Guyana and the Port Mourant Training School to identify ways of boosting education and skills necessary for the sector.

With plans to have the Rose Hall Sugar Estate operationalised by the first crop of 2022, Mr. Gobardhan relayed that cleaning and testing of equipment have started to determine the level of maintenance required.

“We are at the stage now of acquiring more materials, bringing in more labourers. Also, before the factory gets started, one of the areas which needs upgrading is the cane preparation area,” he added. To date, 275 persons have been rehired at the Rose Hall estate.