Cabinet is reviewing what has been described as “exorbitant” salaries for some executive members of the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo); a state owned entity that is drowning in over $80B in debt.The analysis comes on the heels of a letter that was published in the media, highlighting some of the salaries for the GuySuCo officials which total over $12M.Commentators have since deemed the situation to be completely ridiculous and hypocritical of GuySuCo, which has been lamenting about the need to reduce production and employment costs; the latter of which exceeds the actual revenue of the company.Government Ministers informed this newspaper that given the ailing conditions of the company, the fact that the status quo for production has not improved and the entity’s financial status, “it is only sensible and just for the salaries to be studied.”One Government Minister said, “It is understandable that the public would be concerned about this and it has caught the attention of the Cabinet. Rest assured that we are going to look into the matter. We do acknowledge that GuySuCo is in a financial crisis and certain things would have to change. A statement on the way forward on GuySuCo should be sent out soon.”While the CEO of interim management takes home some $4M, the entity is facing a situation where it is not likely to even pay its workers a production bonus this month. This is going to be the first time in over 60 years such a situation has occurred, according to the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU).The union explained that the Annual Production Incentive (API) was previously known as Annual Production Bonus (APB). It came into being in 1952. The industry then was under private ownership.“This incentive to a section of the productive workforce continued after nationalization, which took place under the Administration of L.F.S. Burnham, who assured the workers on Vesting Day – May 26, 1976 – that their conditions of employment shall not be less favourable. This commitment has been honoured until last year,” GAWU said in a statement.According to the union, this year, from what can be determined, the Guyana Sugar Corporation Inc (GuySuCo) seemingly did not want in the first place to even discuss the bonus.“The corporation wrote to the union seeking the basis of its claim. GAWU, in response,Jerseys NFL Cheap, pointed out that its claim is related to whatever quantity of sugar is produced, as is always, and no other factor.Following the GAWU’s response, the corporation on November 24, 2016 engaged the Union in a session. “GuySuCo’s lead person at the meeting, apparently, was in a hurry to convey to the union’s delegation from the estates and union officials that the company’s financial position precluded any API award.”Furthermore, GuySuCo advised that its position was consistent with its no pay rise position this year (2016).“In fact, last year, the Corporation did not increase workers’ wages and salaries, however, it awarded a mere 2.72 days’ pay as API.”GAWU emphasized that in the previous years, whatever the level of sugar production, API was never denied to the workers.“For instance, in 1990 the production was 129,920 tonnes sugar and in 2013 it was 186,665 tonnes, yet five (5) API days’ pay were awarded on each occasion. We need also to draw attention to the fact that despite the financial circumstances of the corporation, workers were not deprived of pay increases and API awards prior to year 2015.”GAWU argued that it is generally accepted that denial of reasonable pay increases to workers is not only callous but it serves to erode workers’ standard of living.“It is even more obnoxious and counter-productive when really such a step can be avoided. The authorities are dangling the ‘debt’ question of the industry as their reason to not give the hard-working sugar workers an upward wage/salary adjustment critical to them. But we wonder if the ‘debt’ reason is universally applied. Certainly not.”The union said that no wage rise for 2015 and 2016 and no API in 2016 constitute a blatant assault on the 18,000 sugar workers and represent a most crude and cruel treatment of the workers.
