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Essequibo rice farmers protest again

Jun 28, 2014 News

Region Two rice farmers again staged another peaceful protest demonstration decrying the poor drainage system in the Region, the non-payment and the non-functioning of sluices in the Region.
Some rice farmers complained of losing almost 20 acres of cultivated rice crops as a result of a recent flooding, which they claim was due to negligence.
Many farmers contended that the removal of an excavator from Windsor Castle to Three Friends Village, Essequibo Coast, and the failure to de-silt the congested out fall at Lima, although they made a request to Regional officials, their cultivated rice lands were destroyed. They were forced to re-plant the entire crop.
“They bypass Lima Sluice and went to Three Friends and up to now the excavator hasn’t returned.”
Friday’s protest took off from the Cotton Field market (New market) before converging at the Anna Regina car park to air their views.
Rice farmer, Terry, whose three acres of cultivated rice crop were inundated by flood water, explained that he was forced to effect land preparation and re-plant his crop which was lost to flooding as a result of the blockage of a sluice at Windsor Castle, on the Essequibo Coast.
Terry said an excavator was stationed at Windsor Castle but was removed to Three Friends Village, which resulted in the flooding to rice lands, at Lima, La Bell Alliance and Richmond Village, on the Essequibo Coast. He estimated his loss to the tune of $300,000.
“When asked, the Chairman said he removed the excavator because “that is priority”.
Another farmer from Henrietta Village, Essequibo Coast, contended that the banks in Guyana should lend to millers to bring an end to the prolonged issue of non-payment to rice farmers.
Millers should also pay farmers within the stipulated period to avoid farmers from being pressured into paying excess interest to the banks after they would have sold their paddy.
The farmers have maintained that millers are selling fertilizers on credit and charging interest, even as they still owe farmers and as a result of the untimely payments to rice farmers, the purchasing of other items is delayed, including the purchase of seed paddy.
Chairman of the Essequibo Paddy Rice Farmers’ Association and Regional Councillor, Naith Ram, said that Friday’s protest is the fifth such demonstration staged this year.
Rice farming is the largest economic activity in Region Two (Pomeroon/Supenaam).

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