President Irfaan Ali has declared that what he described as the “Panday mismanagement syndrome” has to be rooted out of Guyana’s sugar industry, signalling a new era of accountability, modernisation and performance-based management.
His remarks referenced long-standing claims by former sugar estate manager Vishnu Panday, who had publicly criticised what he believed to be entrenched mismanagement across the sector. The President said those practices “disguised by class talk and fanciful language” will no longer be tolerated as the industry undergoes aggressive restructuring.
Speaking during an extensive press conference during an outreach in Region Six, the President said sugar remains an important part of the regional economy, but investment must now be matched by results.
Albion and Rose Hall estates are expected to increase production, and an Indian technical team is currently examining the reopening of the Skeldon Estate, with the goal of producing 37,000 tonnes of sugar by 2030. Government is also moving ahead with full field mechanisation by 2030 and the use of multispectral drone imaging for monitoring. A joint local–foreign proposal for a sugar refinery is under evaluation, while a new performance matrix for estate management will guide promotions and removals beginning next year.
The President said the era of mismanagement in the sugar belt has ended and insisted that managers who cannot meet indicators will be removed. He credited the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority for its work but emphasised that more remains to be done. The Hope-like canal project will soon transform drainage and irrigation for 15,000 acres of farmland from Mibikuri to Black Bush Polder, while also providing flood protection for 55,000 acres. The project includes more than 42 kilometres of new flood embankment, 102 kilometres of internal drainage channels, a high-level channel system and new pump and sluice installations, representing an investment of over $7 billion.
In parallel with the reforms in sugar, agriculture is set for major growth as the ministry moves to bring an additional 15,000 acres of rice into cultivation using higher-yielding varieties capable of producing 40 to 45 bags per acre. Government will expand seed-processing capacity, reduce production costs, develop new roads, dams, storage and drainage infrastructure, and open 75,000 acres of land to new agricultural activity. To push diversification, the President said at least one acre out of every ten must be dedicated to livestock, cage farming or high-value crops.
Farmers will also benefit from expanded 24/7 extension services supported by technology and the promotion of precision agriculture. A new digital “Farm App” will provide farmers with extension guidance, education modules and direct communication with field officers through the government’s service-delivery platform.
President Ali said the interventions across sugar, agriculture and social services reflect the government’s commitment to modernising Region Six and eliminating long-standing systemic failures. He stressed that mismanagement will not be allowed to return to the sugar industry or any other public sector agency as the region moves into a new phase of expansion and accountability.
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