Labour shortages hitting GuySuCo but CEO says mechanisation cushions fallout

The Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo), like many other local sectors, has been grappling with labour shortages that affect productivity.

Even so, the body’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Paul Cheong believes that ongoing mechanisation within the sector helps to cushion the fallout.

Cheong, in a recent interview with the News Room, said GuySuCo remains a huge employer nationally. The corporation employs more than 8,000 people in various positions. Even so, there are instances where all the workers needed are not always around.

“In Guyana, we have an issue because of the development, people are moving from one industry to the next. Guysuco is no different.

“In many instances, you don’t have enough people to do all the work in a timely way as we would like,” Cheong said.

Worker woes are among the challenges gripping the sugar corporation, though its biggest challenge over the past year was the enduring drought. Because of the adverse weather, the Ministry of Finance’s mid-year report noted that the sugar sector saw a dramatic 60.4% contraction in the first half of this year.

GuySuCo’s CEO hopes that improved weather and better management will help the sector rebound. And to deal with the worker woes, key strategies are being employed.

First, Cheong said there must be a system of greater accountability as the corporation strives for better weed control and more efficient fertilizer use to boost yields. Additionally, he emphasizes the importance of enhancing worker morale to better motivate GuySuCo’s workforce.

Importantly, the CEO said the corporation’s mechanisation plans are also expected to improve planting and harvesting, while also cushioning any fallout from the labour shortages. This, essentially, means less manual labour is needed as machines are used to prepare the land and help with harvesting.

“We’ve adapted to the labour shortage through the mechanisation,” Cheong said.