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Why cheat those who feed the nation?

May 09, 2011 Letters

Dear Editor,
If the rice industry is so productive, as to be producing record-breaking targets – why is the Jagdeo regime providing assistance to rice farmers “in excess of $25M” – Only?
The Guyanese consumers, who eat rice at least once a day, must be made aware that the tax revenue collected from rice annually amounts to more than $1.5 billion. The regime said that they spent money on – seed paddy and fertilizers for the beginning of the next crop and preparation of dams, but where is the evidence?
Let’s not forget the harrowing situation only months ago where rice farmers lost more than 25 percent of the total harvest, sources close to the Ministry of Agriculture admitted.  But how true is this figure? There is no independent verification. Farmers have been left on their own to prepare dams, face the dramatic increase in fuel cost, which has led to small and medium size farmers losing out from the expected rise in paddy and rice prices.
The Minister of Agriculture, Robert Persaud, has once again raised the expectation of rice farmers – promising them that they will get $5,000 per bag  for their paddy, if they were to sell it to Venezuela.
In Hague Back, West Coast of Demerara, (at a meeting which I organised) Minister Persaud told farmers last month that they must organise themselves into a co-operative, like the farmers in Essequibo to capitalise on the high prices paid by the Venezuelan government. But the co-op never got started due to the gross incompetence of the Chief Co-operative Officer of the Ministry of Labour.
We visited his office of Co-op Chief only to find out that he was out on sick leave and there was no one to assist us. There has been no further contact between the Co-operative Department and the Guyana Rice Development Board (GDRB) that was supposed to follow up the matter and bring about some resolution.
In the meanwhile, contracts have gone to millers and to the President of the Guyana Rice Producers Association, also a member of the Peoples Progressive Party. He is reported to have first preference at the Nan Persaud Rice Mill on the Corentyne, Berbice, whilst other farmers have to wait their turn and are not allowed to sell their paddy or rice to the Venezuelan market. I wonder if the Minister does not see this as an unfair playing field or corrupt practice.
In the meanwhile, Robert Persaud, parades the country talking about “growing more food” and “food security”, while farmers are mistreated by rice millers who offer low grades for their paddy, and effectively diminishing their living standard and making it virtually impossible to re-cultivate their lands.
Any real food security must mean securing reasonable and sustainable prices for paddy and rice, proper drainage and irrigation systems, all-weather dams, establishing a machinery pool for small and medium size farmers and total control over their organisation – the Guyana Rice Producers Association (RPA).
Our survey shows that more than 90 percent of the rice farmers are not registered as members of the organisation and as such are unable to vote at the bi-annual elections of the organisation and when the issue is taken to the High Court of Judicature, its ruling goes in favour of the defendants. The matter is summarily dismissed – in a style resembling a ‘Kangaroo Court’.
Rice farmers have a choice this year to drastically improve their living condition by supporting a Movement for change and see the back of this highly undemocratic regime, forever.
Jinnah Rahaman

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