Former sugar industry analyst Joel Bhagwandin has condemned ex-GuySuCo executive and self-styled “Hindu priest” Vishnu Panday, calling him a “cautionary tale of hypocrisy, hubris, and decline” following Panday’s recent public attack on the PPP/C government over Guyana’s sugar industry.Panday, who served as General Manager at Skeldon Sugar Factory and held other senior roles at GuySuCo, made headlines when he claimed that the PPP/C government, which governed from 1992 to 2015, was solely responsible for the industry’s decline.Panday also recounted leaving GuySuCo multiple times, alleging management dysfunction and corruption, claiming he worked for Suriname’s sugar industry before returning at former President Donald Ramotar’s request.However, Bhagwandin disputes Panday’s version of events. According to him, Panday did not “walk off” his position at Skeldon—he was terminated in 2010 due to poor performance, insubordination, and allegations related to questionable transactions, which Panday denied. Panday was later rehired in 2015 following a personal plea by the late GAWU President Komal Chand. Reports also indicate that Panday faced challenges in the private sector, including alleged termination from a major fishing company where he served as General Manager.“At the center of Skeldon’s failure stands Mr. Panday. He was not a bystander; he was the executive with primary responsibility for the Skeldon Modernization Project and, by extension, a central figure in the decline of GuySuCo and the eventual closure of Enmore Estate,” Bhagwandin wrote. “To suggest otherwise is to rewrite history.”Bhagwandin also critiqued Panday’s public language, noting its stark contrast with the eloquence he once displayed as a revered narrator of the Ramayana. He said Panday’s repeated use of terms like “jackass” reflects what he calls a “devolution” from a man of intellect into someone embodying “the characteristics of Ravana—magnified tenfold.”“A guru who knows the scriptures but acts contrary to them is a hypocrite and unwise. Rama says that such a person is to be grieved for, because he loses both this world and the next, and drags others into darkness,” Bhagwandin added, citing Hindu teachings.Panday’s remarks have reignited public debate about accountability and leadership failures in Guyana’s sugar industry. Observers say the controversy underscores the complex legacy of GuySuCo executives, the challenges of the Skeldon Modernization Project, and the eventual closure of estates like Enmore, highlighting how historical management decisions continue to shape the industry today.“Mr. Panday’s own words and record speak louder than his outbursts,” Bhagwandin added. “His attempts to cast blame elsewhere collapse under the weight of history, leaving him not the accuser, but the accused.”The post Former sugar analyst blasts Vishnu Panday; calls him ‘a cautionary tale of hypocrisy and decline’ appeared first on News Room Guyana.