Don’t blame the present administration

Oct 04, 2018 Letters

Dear Editor,
The Times Newspaper of September 27, 2018 on page 10 carried a story under the caption, “Govt. Turning Blind Eye” on Rice Section’ – Region Two Farmers. I do not know what are these farmers’ expectations, but what is known not only by these farmers but every person in this region and perhaps not only in this region, is that crop after crop, year after year, and this has been going on for decades, is that the farmers in this country are totally dissatisfied with the price, the grade, the weight, the terms of payment, etc.
The question is how efficient and effective is the Rice Producers Association (R.P.A.) in this region?
Taking into consideration that the R.P.A. is seen as an arm of the People’s Progressive Party (P.P.P) and has a very close working relationship with the Party– as far as I can recall all of the R.P.A. General Secretaries were P.P.P. Members of Parliament, while other persons related to that association are known party activists. That is an indisputable fact.
So when the P.P.P. was in Government, the expectations were that strong representation would have been made at the Regional and National levels on behalf of its members who are rice farmers.
Again, I am saying that the issues that are seriously affecting the rice industry existed for a very, very long time and nothing has changed in the way most millers do business with the farmers, particularly in Region Two.
So, to put the blame squarely on this Government is unfair. Criticizing the Regional Executive Officer is being unfair and unreasonable, because even when the R.E.O. was a P.P.P. appointed person and the Regional Chairman was elected from the P.P.P. list of candidates, this situation unfortunately was not better.
But it would appear that some people were asleep and have just woken up. It was under Hugh Desmond Hoyte’s Presidency that paddy price reached as far as $5,000 per bag. I can’t remember persons mentioning that. Strange how people can conveniently forget.
The said article mentioned poor infrastructure to cultivate and access these (farmers) fields. I have a copy of the Delegation Agreement between the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority and the Water Users Association of Region Two.
This is a body also that all of its Committee Members are linked to the P.P.P. and this committee is well represented on the Works and Agriculture Committee, a Statutory Committee of the Regional Democratic Council, of which the Regional Vice Chairperson is the head.
So when you take an in-depth look as I may have said before you will find that the same set of persons or group of persons or committee that were appointed or elected to solve these problems are the ones most vocal in complaining.
Archie W. Cordis,
Former AFC Councillor
Region No. 2

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