Dear Editor,
Your recent news item informed that dismantling of the defunct Wales Cane Sugar Factory had commenced, in preparation for the erecting of a sugar refinery on the same site. This plant had been previously located in Ontario, Canada and been dismantled after 6 years of operation, thus of recent technology. It will be put together, with additional items of machinery sourced from India and China. An earlier news item had stated that the refinery output would be 100,000 tonnes annually, thus needing 105,000 -110,000 tonnes of raw sugar as its feedstock. An even earlier news item had reported the low GuySuCo 2025 production. Even after the optimism about 2026’s prospects, and taking note that some 35,000 -40,000 tonnes would need to be earmarked for local sales (direct consumption), and local and exported Demerara Gold, there is little likelihood of Demerara Sugar Refinery (DSR) in the immediate future being entirely dependent on GuySuCo’s raws.
Comparison has been made with the Belize Sugar Industry (Tower Hill and Santander) where something similar had taken place. However that country’s raw sugar production appears to be vibrant; many believe that much of the sugarcane production was in the hands of energetic private growers, and often wonder why similar approaches within our own sugar-belt seems sluggish by comparison. DSR’s feedstock initially will have to be most if not all imported. However no CARICOM territory produces such a surplus; it will have to originate from outside the region, thus creating the curious situation of non-CARICOM imports being refined in CARICOM for the CARICOM market.
Reportedly, there is a partnership between GAICO and SUCRO, the latter owning the dismantled refinery. No mention is made in the news of any GuySuCo/Guyana involvement, but clarification may be useful as to the status of the site on which the refinery will stand, the river frontage to accommodate the intake and storage silos, the electricity supply, the flow of Kamuni creek for the refinery’s condensers, as well as any potable water plant on the Wales premises. Steam requirement will be met by gas-fired units, presumably the equipment sourced from India and China, and there may be some link with the Wales Gas Pipeline which we believe is progressing. Some interfacing with GuySuCo may also be in respect of staff housing and other amenities. ISO standards will need scrutiny.
Assuming that bulk raw imports arrives by sea, there is bound to be significant dredging of the mudflat. To forestall too much speculation even though this is a private venture, DSR should be urged to step up its public relations effort. Both in the City and at Wales/Patentia, more especially the latter where the community deprived of its industrial activity, could be expected to welcome this new venture and support it fully. Information centres should be set up to inform of progress; a layout scale model usual in such projects should be on display.
If refinery buildings are located on both sides of the West Bank public road, without expert layout, there is likelihood of the West Bank public road actually passing through the refinery compound. One hopes that Guyanese personnel will be recruited for most jobs, although SUCRO can be expected to provide the top level supervision, and the important commissioning. The view was expressed that the DRS would somehow stimulate GuySuCo’s growth, hopefully, this would indeed happen, although time scale prediction would be problematical. The day that DSR’s raw sugar needs are met wholly from GuySuCo’s estates will be a landmark breakthrough indeed.