GEORGETOWN, GUYANA — A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) Presidential Candidate Aubrey Norton has promised that not a single sugar worker will lose their job if his party returns to office, even as he unveiled an ambitious plan to radically transform the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) into a diversified, multi-sector enterprise.
Norton’s announcement comes against the backdrop of a controversial chapter in his party’s recent past. Between 2017 and 2018, under the APNU+AFC administration, thousands of sugar workers were laid off as the government moved to “right-size” GuySuCo in an attempt to make the industry viable. That decision was met with fierce criticism and has remained a political sore point ever since.
But on Friday, Norton sought to distance his new proposal from the past, telling reporters that diversification does not mean dismissal.
“Not one sugar worker will be fired,” Norton stated. “What we are seeking to do is to refashion the industry, retrain sugar workers so that they can be utilized in new ventures.”
Pressed on whether more estates could be shut down, Norton said that decision would depend on assessments after taking office. However, he pointed out that the current government, led by the People’s Progressive Party (PPP), had in fact closed more estates than APNU did—a narrative his party has consistently pushed to counter the backlash from the 2017-2018 closures.
Norton outlined sweeping plans to revamp GuySuCo, including housing development, aquaculture, food production, manufacturing, and the co-generation of electricity. He envisions a GuySuCo that no longer relies solely on sugar but evolves into a national driver of innovation and jobs.
“GuySuCo need not remain exclusively an agriculture-based entity,” Norton said. “With investment in training and equipment, it can become one of the largest builders of homes and communities in Guyana.”
According to Norton, under an APNU government, sugar workers will not only keep their jobs but also see new opportunities and better working conditions. His administration, he said, would pursue both public and private partnerships to make GuySuCo profitable once again.
“If privatization is going to make it viable, we will consider it. But at this stage, we haven’t made that decision,” he said.
Norton argued that with the right investment, GuySuCo can shift from being a financial burden to a revenue-generating enterprise. He noted that the corporation already has the potential to venture into ethanol production and livestock feed, all while maintaining sugar production.
In 2024, GuySuCo produced just over 47,000 tons of sugar, falling short of its target by 21 percent—a stark indicator of the sector’s ongoing challenges.
Norton’s pitch appears aimed at rebuilding trust with thousands of sugar workers and their communities, many of whom have long memories of the last time APNU was in charge. Whether his promises will be enough to win them over remains to be seen. But one thing is clear: with elections looming, the battle for the sugar belt is once again heating up.
