ALBION, Guyana — President Dr. Irfaan Ali on Friday pledged to eliminate what he called the “Panday-mismanagement syndrome” from Guyana’s sugar industry, drawing a sharp contrast between the current reform agenda and the failures that led to the dismissal of former GuySuCo manager Panday, who later joined the WIN political party.
Speaking at Albion Estate in Region Six, Ali said the PPP/C administration is correcting a legacy of poor leadership and political interference that contributed to the collapse of several estates under APNU+AFC.
“Panday represents the type of mismanagement we inherited in the sector,” Ali said. “His tenure weakened systems, and his conduct helped set back the industry. That era is over.”
Panday, once a senior GuySuCo manager, was fired over operational failures and alleged financial mismanagement. He later aligned himself with the We Invest Nationhood (WIN) party, where he became a vocal critic of the sugar industry’s reform process.
Ali used the example to underscore what he described as “reckless decisions” that worsened GuySuCo’s decline—decisions he said culminated in the previous government’s shutdown of the Wales, Enmore, Rose Hall and Skeldon estates between 2016 and 2017.
Those closures displaced more than 7,000 workers and devastated entire communities. Families lost steady incomes, small businesses folded, and once-vibrant sugar villages across Berbice and Demerara were left struggling.
“When thousands of workers were sent home, communities collapsed,” Ali said. “We are reversing that damage. We are rebuilding the estates, restoring jobs and giving back dignity to families who were discarded.”
Since taking office, the PPP/C has restarted Rose Hall, begun rehabilitation at Enmore and Skeldon, and invested heavily in factory upgrades, drainage works and new equipment. Hundreds of former workers have already been rehired, with additional jobs expected as operations expand.
“These communities are coming alive again,” Ali said. “Our focus is on efficiency, accountability and modernization. Sugar must never again be used as a political weapon or subjected to incompetent management.”
Ali said the government remains committed to stabilizing GuySuCo, diversifying production, and ensuring that the industry contributes meaningfully to rural employment and national development.
“The days of shutdowns, abandonment and mismanagement are finished,” he said. “We are building a sugar sector that is stronger, smarter and more sustainable for future generations.”