APNU Coalition

𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐏𝐑𝐄𝐒𝐈𝐃𝐄𝐍𝐓'𝐒 𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐋𝐋𝐄𝐍𝐆𝐄 𝐓𝐎 𝐆𝐀𝐖𝐔 𝐈𝐒 𝐀𝐍 𝐀𝐃𝐌𝐈𝐒𝐒𝐈𝐎𝐍 𝐎𝐅 𝐆𝐎𝐕𝐄𝐑𝐍𝐌𝐄𝐍𝐓 𝐅𝐀𝐈𝐋𝐔𝐑𝐄

By Sherwin C. Benjamin
General Secretary, PNCR

President Irfaan Ali's invitation to the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU) to assume management of a sugar estate must rank among the most infantile and irresponsible statements ever made by a Head of State on the future of one of Guyana's most important industries.

At the very moment when the President himself publicly admits that GuySuCo continues to fail to achieve its production targets, he seeks to transfer responsibility from the Government and GuySuCo's management to a trade union. The President openly challenged GAWU to "take one of the estates and make it a model" after expressing dissatisfaction with the corporation's performance.

The Guyanese people must ask a simple question: if the Government cannot manage an industry into which it has poured tens of billions of dollars, why does it believe a trade union should be responsible for correcting its failures?

The proposal is even more absurd when viewed in its proper political context. The historical relationship between the PPP and GAWU is neither secret nor accidental. For decades, the two organizations have enjoyed a close political association. Former GAWU President Komal Chand served as a PPP Member of Parliament, and the current GAWU President, Seepaul Narine, has repeatedly and publicly praised the PPP Government and its policies. The President himself has publicly acknowledged the longstanding ties between the PPP and GAWU.

Furthermore, GAWU already enjoys representation on GuySuCo's Board. If the President genuinely believes GAWU possesses the solutions to GuySuCo's problems, then those solutions should already be informing the corporation's strategic direction through existing governance structures.

The fundamental problem facing GuySuCo is not estate management. The problem is Government management.

For more than three decades successive PPP administrations have known that the preferential European sugar market and guaranteed prices would not last forever. The decline of those arrangements was foreseeable from the early 1990s. Instead of aggressively preparing GuySuCo for a competitive global market, the Government failed to undertake the necessary transformation.

The PNC administration understood the need for diversification and sought to broaden the economic base of sugar communities through initiatives such as dairy production and other complementary agricultural activities. Many of those initiatives were subsequently abandoned or dismantled by the PPP.

At the same time, the PPP invested billions of dollars in projects such as Skeldon surar factory and Enmore packaging plant, both of which became notorious for delays, cost overruns, operational challenges and underperformance. The result is that GuySuCo continues to consume substantial public resources while consistently missing production targets year after year.

A serious Government would be speaking today about science, productivity, diversification and value-added production.

The industry requires a comprehensive study of cane varieties to determine which strains provide the highest yield per hectare, the greatest sugar content and the best resistance to pests and changing climatic conditions. Productivity per hectare must become a national priority.

Equally important is the full commercial utilization of sugar by-products.

Bagasse should not be treated as waste. It can be used in the manufacture of cardboard, packaging materials and paper products. Ethanol production should be expanded to create additional revenue streams. Molasses and other derivatives must be commercially exploited. The extensive drainage and irrigation networks that traverse the sugar estates can be integrated into aquaculture and fish farming operations, creating additional income and employment opportunities.

The modern sugar industry cannot survive on sugar alone. Every component of the sugarcane plant must be monetized if GuySuCo is to become financially sustainable.

What is most troubling is that this Government has now been in office for six years since returning to power in 2020 and continues to search for answers. Only last year, President Ali was speaking about transforming GuySuCo into a diversified agricultural and agro-processing hub. Today he is challenging a trade union to manage an estate. The inconsistency reflects a Government that remains uncertain about the direction of the industry despite years of promises and billions in expenditure.

The APNU, in its 2025 Elections Manifesto, outlined a comprehensive development plan for the sugar industry. We demonstrated that sugar can remain viable if productivity is improved, management is professionalized, diversification is pursued aggressively and every revenue opportunity is fully exploited.

The President's latest remarks are therefore more than a political gimmick; they constitute an admission that his Government has no coherent plan to rescue GuySuCo.

If GAWU were to accept the President's challenge, the workers would remain the same, the fields would remain the same, the factories would remain the same, and many of the structural challenges would remain the same. What would change?

The answer is obvious.

Nothing.

Guyana does not need political theatre. Guyana needs competent management, strategic planning, scientific agriculture, diversification and accountability.

The continued failure of GuySuCo to meet its production targets is not a failure of workers. It is not a failure of GAWU. It is a failure of Government leadership.

The President should stop issuing challenges and start delivering results.

𝐑𝐞𝐠𝐮𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐂𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐫𝐞𝐧 𝐎𝐧𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐖𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐞 𝐈𝐠𝐧𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐄𝐥𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐚𝐥 𝐌𝐨𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐳𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧

Dear Editor,

The recent headline indicating that the Attorney General is seeking partnerships with parents, teachers, and the legal fraternity to regulate the use of social media by children raises an important national conversation for every Guyanese. Protecting children from online harm is undoubtedly a responsibility that governments, parents, educators, and technology companies must share. However, as Guyana advances its digital transformation agenda, there are broader questions that deserve equal public attention.
The People's Progressive Party/Civic administration has repeatedly spoken about digitization and modernization. We have seen discussions on digital services, electronic systems, online platforms, and technological advancement. Yet, one of the most critical areas requiring modernization remains unresolved: that is the implementation of a robust biometric identification system for elections and national verification purposes.

In the 21st century, identity verification has become a cornerstone of good governance for every democratic country. Around the world, countries increasingly utilize biometric technologies to improve security, reduce fraud, strengthen public confidence, and modernize public services. In Guyana, however, the debate over biometric voter verification continues while concerns about electoral transparency persist.

If the Government believes technology can be used to regulate children's access to social media, then surely technology can also be used to strengthen electoral integrity. It appears contradictory that digitization is enthusiastically promoted in some sectors while resistance remains strong regarding biometric verification for free and fair elections.

The discussion surrounding children's online safety is also more complex than social media alone. Many young people under the age of sixteen spend significant portions of their time on gaming platforms such as Roblox and other interactive online environments. These platforms contain chat functions and allow children to communicate with individuals from anywhere in the world. I have seen several reports and warnings from law enforcement agencies globally who have repeatedly warned about online predators who exploit these spaces to groom and manipulate minors for the benefit of sexual content or to meet up.

Therefore, any conversation about protecting children online must go beyond Facebook, TikTok, Instagram, and other traditional social media platforms. Policymakers must recognize that risks exist across the wider digital ecosystem. The question is not merely whether social media should be regulated, but whether Guyana possesses the institutional capacity, technological framework, and enforcement mechanisms necessary to protect children across all online environments.

Recent developments in the United Kingdom provide a useful point of comparison. British authorities did not arrive at stricter online safety measures overnight. Their policies emerged following years of research, public consultations, parliamentary inquiries, expert recommendations, and growing evidence concerning mental health impacts, cyberbullying, exploitation, and harmful online content. The process was data-driven and informed by extensive national debate.

Guyana must similarly ensure that any proposed regulations are evidence-based, proportionate, and respectful of constitutional rights. At the same time, we should ask why such urgency is being displayed regarding online regulation while equally significant concerns about voter identification and electoral modernization continue to be sidelined.

This contradiction was highlighted in at Nations University graduation ceremony in 2024 where Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo was giving the feature address and a bold student publicly shouted, "Biometrics for Election 2025!" The call reflected a growing sentiment among many citizens who believe biometric verification would enhance confidence in the electoral process. Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo initially appeared reluctant to engage the issue and later referenced concerns regarding the constitutionality of biometrics. Yet this position appears inconsistent with previous public discussions where biometric systems have been acknowledged as technologically feasible solutions.

The Government cannot champion digitization while selectively rejecting technological reforms that promote transparency and accountability. If technology is trusted to regulate children online, improve government services, and modernize public administration, then the same technological principles should be seriously examined in the context of elections.

The protection of children and the integrity of elections are both matters of national importance. Neither issue should be approached selectively or politically. Guyana deserves a comprehensive digital vision, one that safeguards our children, protects our democracy, and embraces technological innovation wherever it serves the public interest.

Sincerely,
Onix A. Duncan
Politician/Advocate

Church rejects malicious claim about PNCR Vice Chairman Vinceroy Jordan, MP, by PPPC propaganda page, “Live In Guyana.”

𝐅𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐧 𝐑𝐚𝐜𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐋𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐥𝐞 𝐀𝐟𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐚, 𝐂𝐨𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐭𝐨𝐧

Residents of Racecourse and Little Africa are expressing deep frustration and anger following severe flooding in their communities, which they attribute to the Corriverton Town Council's drainage works, allegedly not executed in accordance with accepted engineering standards.

The flooding has resulted in significant losses for many families, with residents reporting damage to homes, household items, livestock, crops, and small businesses. Several affected persons have indicated that their livelihoods have been severely affected, leaving them uncertain about how they will recover from the losses they have sustained.

APNU Councillors Anil Sugrim and Candy Ceres are on the ground assessing the situation and meeting with affected residents. During his visit, he listened to concerns raised by community members, many of whom questioned the quality of the drainage works and the apparent failure to adequately manage water flow in the area.

Residents contend that the works carried out on the drains have either obstructed the natural movement of water or failed to provide sufficient drainage capacity, contributing to the widespread inundation experienced during recent rainfall. They are calling for an immediate technical assessment of the drainage infrastructure and urgent corrective measures to prevent further flooding.

Councillor Sugrim emphasised the need for accountability and urged the relevant authorities to conduct a thorough investigation into the ex*****on of the drainage project. He noted that residents deserve answers regarding how the works were planned, supervised, and implemented, particularly given the extent of the damage now being experienced.

Affected residents are also calling on the Town Council and central government agencies to provide relief and assistance to those who have suffered losses while ensuring that remedial works are undertaken without delay to restore confidence and protect communities from future flooding events.

Residents' concerns highlight the need to follow engineering and drainage standards in public infrastructure projects, especially in flood-prone communities, where poor ex*****on can have serious consequences for citizens and their livelihoods.