Plight of Belle Vue farmers take a turn

Jul 02, 2013 News

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–    Labour Minister says he has it under control
Last week the spotlight was on the troubles of cane farmers operating at Belle Vue estates. Now that the Ministry of Labour has made moves to address the matter, new issues have developed.

The previously reported problem was rooted in the absence of relevant mechanisms to facilitate the sale of cane to Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo). Now that measures have been put in place, another issue has arisen. Farmers are claiming victimization and dubbing it “more corruption.”
Prior to last year, when farmers supplied cane to GuySuCo, the money was paid to the Belle Vue Cane Farmers Marketing Coop Society for the body then to make payments to individual farmers.
However, as of last February—after Ministry of Labour implemented an Interim Management Committee (IMC)—that committee took up the mantle previously held by the society and finances begun going through that pipeline.
But the serving period for the Committee has expired since April and even though that body no longer functioned, there was no other measure in place for farmers to collect their monies.
Now that that anomaly has been addressed with the implementation of a three-man IMC, farmers are peeved that a large amount of them are not being “recognized” as farmers. Some are also complaining about the implementation of an IMC of “just three people” as opposed to allowing the Coop society to retake control “cause we been a manage better.”
A large scale farmer, Deodat Deokinandan aka Beard Man, said that he learnt that the Ministry of Labour will not be acknowledging him as a farmer since the Ministry is claiming that he “illicitly” obtained the land that he has been farming on for the last three years.
Deokinandan said that last November, Abdul Jabar—who was at that time the Chief Co-operative Development Officer attached to the Ministry of Labour Co-operatives Department  Office—sent him a letter stating that the Ministry doesn’t recognize him as a farmer in Belle Vue Coop society and that he had one month to remove from the land.
An injunction was subsequently filed; the matter remains in court.
Deokinandan was however, allowed to continue farming and selling to GuySuCo through the society until April when the IMC serving period expired.
“Since the IMC time up, we nah get we money. Every time you ask you hear dem looking for people dem never been a find, dem leff we abandon for two months. All de time dem looking for somebody. All of a sudden dem find these people and dem nah call no meeting just decide on de three body and they done deh,” said one farmer.
On June 27, an IMC was appointed with immediate effect. The members are:Vishnu Prasad- Secretary/Manager,  Ganpat- Member and Frankie Ramphal- Member
Deokinandan said that farmers asked that there be a meeting and were told that, before a meeting is called a verification of the membership will have to be undertaken.

He claimed that the Ministry took a stance that if a meeting should be called now, it has to be on the basis of the 2009 membership list of members—meaning, all those about 33 farmers who joined after 2009 won’t be considered.
“Dem say they nah recognize me as a farmer but me a de farmer that got 12,000 ton cane to harvest which would give 1,000 ton sugar,” related the farmer.
Deokinandan disclosed that one of his crops, which will be ready for harvest in a few weeks, is an approximate 12,000 tons worth some $100M and have about 12 other crops of similar worth and amount that will be ready for harvest later on in the year.
Deokinandan and 29 other farmers occupy 330 acres of farming land at Belle Vue. According to him, prior to him joining the sugar industry, Belle Vue farmers produced 1100 tons of cane per year. Now the production is 12,000 per year.
He said that he thinks the “corruption and fight down” is rooted in a long-standing issue that has nothing to do with farming.
“Me got documents and there are the minutes of the meeting (from the first time he joined) to prove that all things legitimate and that me went through the process but de minister want ram letter down me throat and want I swallow it,” expressed Deokinandan. He said that he remains worried that his cane will be left to rot.
Minister of Labour Dr Nanda Gopaul said that the farmer should be commended for having the cane. The Minister noted that “there are rules that have been violated.” He said too that much is out of order and needs to be “regularized.”
The Minister said that his Ministry is looking closely at the matter, investigating it and intends to ensure that justice is dished out to all farmers.
Asked about the possibility of the crop being left to rot, the Minister responded that all cane on the ground will be allowed to reap, will be sold and the farmers will be paid.

 

 

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