Dr Cheong, stay the course

Dear Editor,

Mr Mohamed, I have listened to your recent commentary on Dr. Paul Cheong and GuySuCo with a mixture of disappointment and disbelief.

The office of Leader of the Opposition carries with it a duty that extends beyond politics. It demands integrity, discipline, and a commitment to truth. It requires one to offer constructive alternatives, and to foster national unity rather than deepen division.

Regrettably, much of your public commentary and posture falls way below this standard. Instead of engaging in informed and responsible criticism, you chose to launch a personal attack on a man whose only “offence” is that he accepted one of the most difficult leadership assignments in this country and has committed himself to the challenging task of rebuilding an institution that has struggled for many years.

Leading GuySuCo is not a comfortable job. It is not glamourous. It is not politically rewarding. It is the responsibility of managing an organisation of almost 8,000 employees, while attempting to reverse more than a decade of operational decline, financial losses, deteriorating infrastructure, and deeply entrenched organisational challenges.

Dr Paul Cheong did not inherit a thriving business. He inherited an institution that had been struggling for years. He accepted that responsibility not because he needed the position, but because he believed that serving GuySuCo was another opportunity to serve his country.

Those who know Dr Cheong understand that he did not walk into GuySuCo for a salary, prestige, or political favour. He came because he believed the corporation deserved disciplined leadership, commercial thinking, and a renewed culture of accountability. That is precisely what he has been trying to deliver.

While it is easy to produce speeches and social media commentaries questioning his leadership, Dr Cheong has spent the better part of the last two years travelling from estate to estate, meeting with workers, confronting operational failures, demanding accountability, and implementing changes that many before him were unwilling to pursue. Transformation is never welcomed by everyone.

When people become accustomed to operating without accountability, introducing discipline will always be uncomfortable. When expectations are raised, resistance naturally follows. Every organisation undergoing meaningful reform experiences this reality. GuySuCo is no different.

That is why your attempt to portray Dr Cheong as distracted or disinterested is so detached from reality. Anyone who has worked alongside him knows the countless hours he devotes to the corporation, the difficult decisions he makes daily, and the personal sacrifices required to lead an organisation facing challenges of this magnitude.

Leadership is not measured by how loudly one criticises from the sidelines. Leadership is measured by one’s willingness to accept responsibility for solving problems others have spent years describing and dodging.

Whether one agrees with every decision Dr Cheong has made is a matter for debate, but questioning his commitment or integrity is something entirely different.

Integrity is not a slogan. It is a way of life. Those of us who have had the privilege of working with Dr Cheong know him as a man whose word means something. A man who accepts responsibility. A man who expects from himself the same standards he demands of others.

That is why attempts to portray him as anything other than committed are not only inaccurate, but are also deeply unfair. I find it particularly unfortunate that these attacks come as GuySuCo prepares to commence its second crop of 2026^[1].

At a time when every employee should be united behind the task ahead, public attempts to undermine confidence in the corporation’s leadership serve no constructive purpose. They distract from the work that must be done and diminish the efforts of thousands of hardworking employees who are committed to the industry’s success.

Dr Cheong will not be remembered for political commentary. He will be remembered for whether he had the courage to challenge old habits, demand accountability, and attempt to build a better GuySuCo. From what I have witnessed, he has done exactly that.

My hope is that he remains undeterred by personal attacks and continues the difficult work of transforming the corporation. Meaningful change is never easy, and those who challenge the status quo are rarely applauded in the moment. But history has a way of rewarding leaders who choose conviction over convenience.

Dr Cheong, stay the course. GuySuCo needs your leadership and many of us remain firmly behind you.

References

1. Employees whose negligence result in unnecessary losses will be held accountable - GuySuCo boss  - INews Guyana — inewsguyana.com ↩