Valley: King Sugar’s days in TT numbered

KING SUGAR’S days in Trinidad and Tobago are numbered, Trade Minister Ken Valley told members of  the Couva/Point Lisas Chamber of Commerce on Wednesday. Speaking at a function in honour of Plipdeco president Neil Rolingson, who is due to retire next month, Valley pointed out that local manufacturers continue to be burdened by the high price of locally produced sugar. He said they wonder “why they have to do this when they can import sugar at a much cheaper price.” The Minister explained: “We are not competitive in sugar and that is why we have come out of sugar cultivation. We are still in the milling and refining stage and I do not think, quite frankly, that we have the competitive edge in refining in particular. “Perhaps Guyana could become the refining capital in the region because they have more lands allocated for the cultivation of sugar cane than we do. We have to look at the economics of the industry.

“What I can tell you is that our manufacturers are complaining every day that they are burdened by having to buy refined sugar from Caroni at exorbitant prices when they have to compete  on the world market stage and that is an ongoing concern,” Valley said. “We have to look at all the options open to us and consider if sugar is more valuable than the rum aspect and all its off-shoots  of the industry.” He added: “We are actually importing sugar from Guyana to refine and that is subsidising Guyana. We have to look at that carefully to see whether it makes economic sense.” Couva-born Valley, who was made an honorary life member of the Chamber, told the gathering he always had a sentimental attachment to the district and was confident it would “grow at a phenomenal rate and the population would be proud of what the Government has on the drawing board in terms of development.”

“The Town and Country Planning Department is currently working out plans to allow Couva to be properly restructured in terms of what is taking place in the sugar industry and those of us from Couva would be proud of what is going to come up,” he said. Valley did not want to comment on the statement allegedly made by Agriculture Minister Jarette Narine about distribution of Caroni lands to former employees. He said he was out of the country at the time. “What I would like to emphasise, though, is that Government is not going to renege on its VSEP package promise and as long as you are eligible, meaning if you are a former employee of Caroni without house and land and you apply for land for housing, preference will be given to you.” Valley said he was extremely impressed with the efforts of the Estate Management Company Ltd in allocating lands for agriculture, housing and industries. “When they are finished with that exercise, we will all be proud of what Couva and its environs will become,” he said.