Norton Vows to Revitalize Sugar and Rice Industries If Elected
By Antonio Dey | HGP Nightly news
Georgetown, Guyana – Opposition Leader and presidential candidate Aubrey Norton has pledged that an APNU+AFC-led government will prioritize the revitalization of Guyana’s rice and sugar industries, two sectors he says are currently underperforming and neglected.
Speaking during his party’s weekly press briefing on Friday at Congress Place, Sophia, Norton laid out a multi-pronged strategy to restore these sectors to productivity and profitability.
“We will immediately address the critical challenges in the rice industry such as low yields, diseases, market access, credit availability, inadequate storage, competing land use, unfair competition, and discriminatory practices,” Norton stated.
He outlined plans to construct storage facilities and establish a fertilizer plant, which would supply affordable inputs to farmers, thereby reducing production costs and increasing yields.
Norton also proposed a transformative approach to the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo), suggesting it could evolve beyond agriculture to become a builder of homes and communities, with state-supported investments in training and equipment.
He highlighted the broader economic potential of sugarcane, suggesting the crop could support the production of:
- Ethanol
- Livestock feed
- Bagasse-based byproducts
- Electricity through cogeneration
“These opportunities need not await private investors alone. The state can undertake them either singularly or in joint ventures,” he emphasized.
Norton vowed that, under his leadership, compensation, job opportunities, and working conditions for GuySuCo workers would improve, making the industry more attractive to the labor force.
“GuySuCo can become a net contributor to national revenue, rather than a drain on the country’s resources,” Norton asserted.
The opposition leader’s remarks come as the country approaches the September 1, 2025 General and Regional Elections, with agriculture expected to remain a central policy issue.
