right decision

mate change, trouble with that sugar industry… you must now appreciate the transformational decision that was made to right size… what was transformational, was the right sizing of the sugar industry so that you don’t pour good money behind bad sectors, billions and billions of dollars.”

Ramjattan claimed that the Government’s allocation of $4 billion to the sugar industry was a waste of money. And despite the fact that sugar workers had to take the APNU/AFC to court for their severance payments, Ramjattan claimed that his then Government “gave them” their severance benefits.

“To spend so much money on sugar is pouring good money behind bad. Prior to this budget, we have spent approximately $13 billion. We’re today going to spend another $4 billion behind sugar. They’ve been advertising for jobs at Rose Hall and people are not coming.”

“We gave them (sugar workers) their severance benefits. If it’s going to drag an economy down we had to make the correct decision. That was transformational,” he said, calling the Government’s current policy of resuscitating and making sugar profitable a “road to nowhere.”

The former APNU/AFC Government had closed the Wales Sugar Estate in 2016, and subsequently shut down the Enmore, Rose Hall and Skeldon Estates. This resulted in thousands of jobs being lost and only Uitvlugt, Blairmont and Albion Estates being in operation.

The People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) had promised on the campaign trail to reopen these estates, and within weeks of being in office, had taken steps in this direction. This included the Administration inviting Expressions of Interest (EoIs) from investors. (G3)

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