‘Top-heavy’ GuySuCo management urges employees not to – GAWU President warns
– Says CEO Singh the company undergoing a human resources audit
GuySuCo CEO Sasenarine Singh.
Kaieteur News – Guyana Agricultural Workers Union (GAWU) President Seepaul Narine warns Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) and its newly appointed CEO (CEO), Sasenarine Singh, that the practice of ‘heavy-duty’ management ‘soon ran the industry into trouble. Narine gave Singh the obvious public warning on Monday, while a guest on the GlobeSpan24X7 panel discussion with moderators Charles Sugrim and Dr. Asquith Rose.
Expanding on his position, the President of GAWU highlighted what he claims to have recently hired about 30 head office staff at salary scales above their industry counterparts. Nine told the moderators that while he has no difficulty with employees getting reasonable conditions, including pay, “his equality must be compared.”
GAWU President Seepaul Narine.
To this end, Narine noted that “if we continue to employ people on higher pay than those in the established system and pay grades, we will run into difficulties; that’s my warning. ”
Narine warned that GuySuCo needed to be careful and said, “Mr. Singh as CEO needs to consider that and address it; it cannot be allowed to be fulfilled; it will create unfair conditions. ”
Aware of the need to retain skilled personnel with competitive salaries, he noted that “if you are going to bring in others, then those in the system at that level have that value as well.”
In a direct appeal to Singh, the President of GAWU urged that the industry must better manage its human resources and “don’t be very heavy” as this could motivate the entire workforce. Notably, he claimed that the Board did not employ additional staff at higher salaries.
Narine, who has been pressing the corporation to return to the bargaining table in terms of wage talks and deferred wages, admitted that every employee’s benefit is a cost to the business and as such, GAWU has be submitting proposals to increase revenue generation. He asked that the industry must follow a more diversified portfolio by turning to more value-added products such as smaller packaged packs of sugar, compared to the 120 luggage traditionally sold.
Commenting on yesterday’s comment, CEO Sasenarine Singh said it was “unfortunate” that statements related to them were made, not least because they were “lacking in facts”.
“Those making the reckless allegations that many new people made the company ‘heavy-handed’ must provide evidence,” said Singh. He related that the company is currently conducting a human resources and skills audit at headquarters to see if there is in fact a heavyweight, as inherited from the operations as run under the previous political administration, and does the corporation “have the right to put skill sets and persons in the right positions. ”