Guyana awaits help from Cuban experts to revive sugar industry

GEORGETOWN, Guyana (AP) _ Guyana’s prime minister says Cuba has pledged to help revive the South American country’s sluggish sugar industry.

Moses Nagamootoo says Cuba will send a group of experts to advise the government on how to rebuild its sugar sector. He made the announcement after meeting Tuesday with Cuba’s vice-president in Guyana.

No further details were provided.

Guyana is the largest sugar-producing country in the Caribbean Community trade bloc, but it has seen a steady drop in production. The government also says it has run out of money to pay the salaries of workers at the state-owned Guyana Sugar Corporation.

Cuba has struggled to revive its own sugar industry, though output has recovered somewhat since 2010’s 1.1 million tons, the lowest in a century. It once regularly produced 6 million tons.

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