Guyana President Ali warns sugar estates will face changes if targets are missed

Guyana President Dr. Irfaan Ali on Saturday met with the Board of Directors and management of the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo), where he expressed dissatisfaction with the performance of estate management and their failure to meet 2025 production targets.

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The President told management that every estate will be held accountable for achieving its targets. In a brief post on his official Facebook page, he said that “beginning with the first crop of 2026, estates that fail to meet their targets will see changes.”

GuySuCo closed 2025 with production of 59,200 metric tonnes of sugar, falling short of the corporation’s revised target of 60,000 metric tonnes.

In November, President Ali signaled what he described as a new era of accountability, modernisation and performance-based management at the corporation. His comments echoed long-standing criticisms by former sugar estate manager Vishnu Panday, who has publicly raised concerns about what he described as entrenched mismanagement within the sector.

The President said practices “disguised by class talk and fanciful language” will no longer be tolerated as the sugar industry undergoes aggressive restructuring.

Speaking during an extensive press conference while on outreach in Region Six, President Ali emphasized that sugar remains an important part of the regional economy, but said continued investment must be matched by measurable results.

“Sugar is an important part of the economy here in Region Six, and we’re going to continue to invest, but we have to get the return on our investment,” the President said.

He underscored the need to boost output at key estates, specifically pointing to Albion and Rosehall as critical to the industry’s recovery.

As part of broader efforts to revitalise the sector, President Ali announced that international technical support will be brought in to strengthen operations and improve efficiency across the estates. He also said the government plans to deepen engagement with private cane farmers as part of a more inclusive and performance-driven approach to rebuilding Guyana’s sugar industry.