Guyana President Dr. Irfaan Ali on Saturday met the Board of Directors and senior management of the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) and expressed dissatisfaction over the performance of estate management, particularly their failure to meet sugar production targets for 2025, reports Caribbean National Weekly.
He said investment in the sugar sector will continue, but it must produce results that justify the resources being spent.
The President told officials that all sugar estates will be strictly assessed on their performance. In a post shared on his official Facebook page, he stated that beginning with the first crop of 2026, estates that fail to meet their targets will see changes
GuySuCo ended 2025 with sugar production of 59,200 metric tonnes, below its revised target of 60,000 metric tonnes.
In November last year, President Ali had pointed to the start of a renewed focus on responsibility, modern practices, and results-based management at the state-owned corporation. His remarks reflected concerns long raised by former sugar estate manager Vishnu Panday, who has repeatedly highlighted what he described as deep-rooted management problems within the sector.
The President said outdated practices and excuses would no longer be accepted as the government moves ahead with a strong restructuring programme for the sugar industry.
Addressing a press conference during an outreach visit to Region Six, President Ali said sugar continues to play a key role in the regional economy, but added that government spending must deliver clear outcomes.
The President stressed the need to increase production at major estates, identifying Albion and Rosehall as vital to the recovery of the industry.
As part of efforts to revive the sector, President Ali announced that overseas technical experts will be brought in to improve operations and efficiency across sugar estates. He also said the government plans to work more closely with private cane farmers to build a stronger and more results-focused sugar industry.
