‘Honesty before accountability’ – Min. Mustapha fires back at Panday over GuySuco mismanagement

Minister of Agriculture, Hon. Zulfikar Mustapha, on day two of the 2026 Budget debate, delivered a pointed rebuttal to Opposition Parliamentarian Vishnu Panday on the sugar industry, describing what he termed the “Panday syndrome” as a pattern of mismanagement and failed leadership that contributed to GuySuCo’s past decline.

Addressing the National Assembly, Minister Mustapha said that while critics now present themselves as champions of accountability, their own records in the sugar industry tell a different story.

“Accountability begins with honesty,” the minister said, noting that one cannot assess GuySuCo’s present without acknowledging the decisions and outcomes of the past.

Minister Mustapha recalled that during Mr Vishnu Panday’s tenure as Agriculture Director at GuySuCo, the corporation recorded its lowest production in history, with output falling to approximately 6,700 tonnes.

He further stated that under that particular period of leadership, key responsibilities, including the reopening and planning of operations at the Skeldon Estate, were not fulfilled, despite available mechanised lands.

“There were over 5,000 hectares of mechanised land at Skeldon, but less than 1,000 hectares were planted,” the minister told the National Assembly.

According to Minister Mustapha, GuySuCo’s performance during that time reflected below-standard yields, including a tonnage per hectare below industry benchmarks, further weakening the corporation’s viability.

Since the removal of ineffective management, Minister Mustapha reported that sugar production has increased by 26 per cent, with more than 130,000 metric tonnes of cane harvested, over 41 per cent of agricultural fields mechanised, and renewed planting at estates previously underutilised.

He also highlighted the implementation of a new five-year strategic plan aimed at returning GuySuCo to profitability by 2030, supported by continued capital investments and operational reforms.

Minister Mustapha contrasted the government’s approach with past decisions that saw the closure of estates and the displacement of thousands of sugar workers, stressing that the PPP/C Administration remains committed to protecting jobs and sustaining sugar-dependent communities.

“We value people,” he said. “We are not against sugar workers. We are not against any workers, and we will continue to support them.”

The minister said the ongoing transformation of GuySuCo demonstrates the difference between rhetoric and results, urging critics to engage constructively and acknowledge the progress underway.

“As GuySuCo moves forward, we are focused on production, efficiency, and people,” Minister Mustapha said. “The era of failure is behind us.”