The Blairmont Sugar Estate is among those that will likely be preserved even as Government looks to ensure that the industry lowers the cost of production in order to produce sugar that is competitive on the world market. This disclosure was made by Head of State, David Granger, as he delivered the feature address at the opening ceremony of the Mahaica-Berbice (Region Five) Chamber of Industry and Commerce’s Expo and Trade Fair at the Bath Settlement Community Ground, West Coast Berbice.
At the event the President called on the Regional Administration, the Neighbourhood Democratic Councils, members of the business community and civil society to work together with the Central Government to ensure that the challenges to the Region’s further development are solved.
Noting that Region Five has established itself as a bastion of Guyana’s food security, President Granger emphasised the importance of heeding the trade fair’s call through its theme to “Build a diversified economy” as well as ensuring traditional sectors are maintained through lower cost of production. “We have to produce our commodities more cheaply. Otherwise, we will not be able to compete, whoever is in the Government… We want to save the sugar industry but it must be efficient and competitive… We are not working to destroy the industry. We are working to develop the industry and the industry has been contracting. Some countries like Trinidad and Tobago, Barbados, St. Kitts and Nevis, Jamaica, Belize have seen their industries contract. Some have disappeared altogether because the cost of production was too high. Guyana is trying to preserve its industry. That is why there will be a Blairmont and that is why there is going to be an Albion and we will preserve as many of our plantations and estates as possible. Uitvlugt will remain but we have to deal with the problems of cost,” he said.
President of the Chamber, Mr. Imran Saccoor acknowledged that the sugar industry, which he described as the economic backbone of the Region and by extension Guyana, in its current state, is a “threat to our national treasury”. However, he commended the Government for preserving the Blairmont Estate, which is the single largest employer in the Region.