Dear Editor,
I write to express my commendation for the start up of this new venture for independent journalism called “Kiskadee Watch” and wish it all the best. One issue the Kaieteur News and the other newspapers are refusing to highlight is the sugar industry and I wonder why? Was it ignorance of the state of the industry or a coordinated attempt at cover-up? We so miss the Stabroek News for independent journalism and hope that Mr. Anand Persaud and this new team at Kiskadee Watch will continue and improve on the group of independent journalists that are fearless to write on any topic.
In that regard, I note my agreement with several concerns raised in the recent letter by Mr. E. Joseph (May 14, 2026) regarding the performance of GuySuCo and its leadership. I also acknowledge the response from the Finance Manager of the Rose Hall Estate, Mr. Haseef Yusuf, who offered a defence of the corporation’s management and his boss Mr. Paul Cheong. While differing views are part of healthy public discourse, I believe the operational and financial results of the corporation warrant continued public examination and discussion.
The most significant concern remains the corporation’s production performance in recent years. Publicly available information indicates that GuySuCo produced approximately 60,204 tonnes of sugar in 2023. Production reportedly declined to approximately 47,130 tonnes in 2024 under Mr Paul Cheong, before recovering to approximately 59,000 tonnes in 2025.
However, the latest reports coming out of the Corporation surrounding the 2026 First Crop which is now closed, reveals that GuySuCo did not pass 19,000 tonnes which is about a 40% shortfall on the First Crop Target. A senior field officer told me that this trend will continue into the Second Crop which can lead to the Corporation under Mr. Paul Cheong’s leadership in 2026 falling short of the target by some 40,000 tonnes of sugar, which in today’s dollars is a lost income of US$20 million (approx. GUY$4.2 billion).
Mr. Cheong and his spokespersons like the Finance Manager of the Rose Hall Estate, Mr. Yusuf will naturally try to defend this crisis by saying the weather was bad. But weather was bad 10 years ago, weather was bad 20 years ago and still GuySuCo never experienced this level of disastrous performance. The overall trends raise legitimate concerns regarding the competence of the leadership at GuySuCo at many levels especially in the Office of the CEO.
The financial performance of the corporation also remains a matter of public concern. Rising production costs combined with fluctuating international sugar prices continue to place pressure on the industry’s viability. Given the significant level of public financial support provided to GuySuCo over the years, citizens and taxpayers are entitled to ask questions regarding operational performance, cost management, strategic planning, and future direction. In 2025, GuySuCo took $18 billion from the people of Guyana under the leadership of Mr. Paul Cheong. That cash outflow from the Treasury is set to surpass $22 billion in 2026.
Operational challenges at several estates, including factory downtime and field productivity concerns, have also been widely discussed publicly over the past year, but yet there has been little progress under Mr. Paul Cheong. In this context, the corporation’s Board of Directors and relevant government authorities, especially the Minister of Agriculture Mr. Zulfikar Mustapha must be called upon to account for their performance. They cannot be blind to what is happening in the sugar industry.
Importantly, these observations should not be interpreted as personal criticism of any individual. Leadership of an industry as historically important and operationally complex as GuySuCo is undoubtedly difficult. However, accountability and transparency remain essential, particularly where public resources, and thousands of livelihoods are involved.
The Guyanese people deserve a sugar industry that is financially sustainable, efficiently managed, and capable of contributing positively to national development. Constructive public discussion should therefore be encouraged as part of the broader effort to strengthen the sector and ensure its long-term future.
Yours faithfully,
Lancelot Hyman
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