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May 26, 1976
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The Government
acquired the 9 Booker Sugar estates in Guyana. To these were added the two Demerara Sugar Company estates to
form the Guyana Sugar Corporation GuySuCo
First Chairman,
Harold Davis, appointed. Yesu Persaud
is named Vice Chairman
Launching of SUGAR
NEWS to replace BOOKER News
DB 66113 is first
cane variety introduced since nationalisation. This variety is still utilised and occupies 12% of our
cultivation. However, the oldest
variety used in the sugar industry is D 15841.
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1977
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Corporation
Flag and Crest (Emblem) designed by Apprentice Colin Nedd and Agronomist
Claude Vibert Ho
New
Pumping Station at Sandaka established to provide water from the Canje Creek
for the Skeldon cultivation
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1978
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A
2¼ mile waterway to allow for the transport of canes between the Versailles,
Leonora and Uitvlugt estates, established.
The waterway became operational during the First Crop of 1978.
GuySuCo
signs agreement recognising the Guyana Agricultural Workers’ Union (GAWU) as
an operating Union on March 23rd.
Signing to this agreement signals the beginning of an era of
industrial stability
Versailles
factory closed
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1979
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Sugar
Industry’s Diagnostic Centre conceived in the early sixties and established
in 1964 at Lusignan, resited to Ogle.
Apprenticeship
period reduced to four years and the first six female apprentices enrolled at
the GTC, PM.
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1980
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Plant
Protection Unit (PPU) established as Corporation places emphasis on the
control and eradication of weeds, pest and diseases which affect the sugar
cane plant.
First
Honours Roll presentation ceremony held after launching of Scheme in
1979. Production Honours Roll Scheme
is a management machinery which provides motivation required for attainment
of production goals
New drainage pump costing ½ million dollars installed at
Leonora estate to improve the estate’s capacity to drain and recirculate
water.
Head Office sport club officially opened at Ogle
Dispensary established at De Kinderen in response to
Corporation’s commitment to its workers’ health care. This added to the chain of dispensaries at
Skeldon, Albion, Port Mourant, Rose Hall, Providence, Blairmont, Bath,
Enmore, Non Pariel, Lusignan, LBI, Better Hope, Diamond, Herstelling, Peter’s
Hall, Wales, Leonora and Uitvlugt.
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1981
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Equipment Conservation Centre established at Ogle for
rebuilding machinery components
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1983
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SMUT the disease that first attacked sugar cane in
1974 completely repressed. B 41227
and DB66113found to be resistant to SMUT.
Management
Training Centre at Ogle re-constructed.
The building which replaced the first centre constructed by Bookers
Sugar Estates in 1974, was to cater for management training at all levels,
the holding of seminars, conferences, meetings and other activities
Bagasse
Baling equipment acquired at Albion. The equipment increases the bulk density
of the bagasse by means of compression, facilitating storage in a smaller
area.
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1984
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Mechanical
trials piloted at Diamond. A mechanical harvester and planter introduced.
Punt
Dumper introduced at Diamond. The
first of its kind to be erected in any part of the world, the Punt Dumper has
the capacity to perform 20 lifts per hour.
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1985
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GuySuCos
responsibility for edible oil production transferred to the National Edible
Oil Company Limited. As a
consequence, the assets at San Jan and Wauna Oil Palm Estates transferred
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1986
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Closure
of the Leonora factory (latter part of the year). Alternative employment found for factory workers.
Livestock
complex at Liliendaal established
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1987
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Safe
and effective rodenticide introduced industry-wide after Thallium Sulphate
scare.
Diamond
factory closed (1st Crop).
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1988
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Head
Office Annexe established at Kingston
The
cane variety DB 7869 is the most utilised in GuySuCo. This variety occupies 45% of our
cultivation
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1989
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Blairmont
Rice Milling Complex commissioned in May
Mike
Brassington appointed Chairman of the Board of Directors
Cheese
and Butter plant at Versailles commissioned in October
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1990
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Strategic
Alliance - a memorandum of Agreement
signed between Government and Booker PLC on October 30, for management of the
sugar industry
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1991
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Neville
Hilary joins the Corporation as Chief Executive
Drainage
Rehabilitation Programme commenced. Design works completed for the No 83
Village Public Road bridge at Skeldon, two oceanic sluices at Enmore,
rehabilitation of Strathspey sluices and a new aqueduct at Foulis, Enmore.
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1992
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Vickram
Oditt assumes duties as Chairman of the GuySuCo Board
Community
Development centres at Skeldon, Rose Hall, Blairmont and Enmore refurbished
as part of the Corporation’s revitalisation programme.
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1993
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New
medical facility established at Diamond.
Construction
of Mill Dock buildings at LBI and Albion; a Field Workshop at Skeldon; new
Fertiliser Stores at Blairmont and Uitvlugt and a Field Laboratory at
Uitvlugt.
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1994
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Independent
environmental audit conducted.
GuySuCo recorded as having superior standards to other Caribbean sugar
industries in environmental practices.
Establishment
of the Coldingen Complex. This centre
serves to centralise and streamline stores control and workshop operations
State
Visit by HRH Queen Elizabeth and Prince Phillip
Safety
Committees established on all estates and at Head Office Units
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1995
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GuySuCo
achieves new market in the European Union following enactment of Special
Preferential Sugar Agreement between ACP Sugar Protocol holders and the EU
First
of three towers for voice and data communications erected (at Drill) to
facilitate a communications link among the Corporation’s locations.
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1996
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Programme
of insecticide and other agrochemical stock reduction implemented. Five new modern Chemical Stores
constructed at Albion-Port Mourant, Rose Hall, Enmore, LBI-Diamond and
Uitvlugt-Leonora Estate.
Corporation
takes initiative of applying chemical ripeners as part of strategy to produce
higher yields of sugar from each acre of cane.
Shipment
of 11,193 tons from the DST recorded as largest sugar shipment up to 1996
Regional
Diagnostic Centre established at Rose Hall
LBI
Community Development Centre rehabilitated
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1997
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GuySuCo
hosts 26th WIST Conference
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1998
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The
East Demerara Estate formed.
Operations of the LBI/Diamond and Enmore estates merged, with LBI
becoming the Estate’s administrative centre.
High
Density planting introduced
GuySuCo
releases 40 acres of land at Liliendaal to facilitate permanent headquarters
for CARICOM.
Strategic
Plan formulated to secure the future development of the industry. Factory rehabilitation and expansion plans
included.
Neville
Hilary, Chief Executive ends stint at GuySuCo and is replaced by Brian Webb
SATLOC
technology places GuySuCo in first position as agricultural entity to acquire
equipment that identifies location in the fields to be sprayed
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1999
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Amalgamation
of the Rose Hall and Albion/Port Mourant Estates to form the East Berbice
Estate
Community
Development Centre at Wales rehabilitated
GuySuCo
records its highest weekly production of 12,080 tonnes (September 11) and
highest production since 1978 of 321,438 tonnes of sugar. More than $1B paid out as Annual
Production Incentive to workers.
Head
Office relocated to Ogle
Corporation
awarded contract to provide Jamaica with 6,000 tonnes of raw cane sugar. Plans in train to expand the product range
and offer various packet sizes to customers in the local, CARICOM and new
regional markets. 1 kg packet sugar introduced.
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2000
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Corporation
operations at Central Laboratory moved to LBI
HRH The Prince of
Wales, Prince Charles visits Skeldon where a new factory is to be constructed
Largest shipment of
bagged sugar sent. Jamaica received 5,000 tonnes of bagged sugar as part of the total 10,000 tonne-quota to be
supplied.
Some 58 hectares of
cane put under the DB 71559 as GuySuCo starts pilot project to produce
organic sugar at Uitvlugt location of the West Demerara Estates. This project was launched following an
offer from a prominent customer to purchase Organic sugar from Guyana.
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