The Belle Vue farmers’ story

Nov 23, 2019 Letters

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Dear Editor,

Can you please publish this letter in your widely read newspaper and or TV news and radio, so that President David Granger , his APNU-AFC-MPs, the PPP-C MPs and the people can see and understand the injustice and the willful destruction that are being allowed to be done, against the Belle Vue Co-op members crops, etc…. Between January-March 2019, Mr. (name given) …and agents came and used a machine and willfully destroyed our co-op members crops in field # 3, 4, 5 & 6, worth several millions of dollars.
The police from Wales Police Station, Ministry for Social Protection, Minister Keith Scott and the Co-op Department did practically nothing, to stop these destructions and illegal occupying of our land. During this unjust and willful destruction of our crops, some farmers and their family came out to their cultivation and were trying to prevent\the principal and his agents and his machine from entering their cultivation and destroying their crops, etc…
When the police showed up, it appears based on their action, that they were more interested in removing the farmers from the field dam-bed, rather than stopping and preventing the machine from going into the farmers cultivated area to destroy their crops.
Editor, after the first day of this destruction, Minister Keith Scott and Mr. Aubrey Norton from the Ministry of the Presidency, came to Belle Vue Scheme one morning to meet with the farmers, to listen to the complains and inspect their cultivation and the damages to the farmers crops.
It was reported, later, on the same day of this meeting, Mr. (name given) came and brought more of his agents/workers and with his machine and continued destroying our farmers’ crops, with more speed. Editor, sometime in December 2018, I think it was a couple of days before the co-op member’s representatives /delegation, had an appointment for a second meeting with President Granger -Minister Ronald Bulkan appointed an investigator, Mr. O. Clark.
Without prior notice\information, Minister Keith Scott, Mr. Francis Caryll, the CCDO and a few of his staff came in the afternoon, for the first time to meet with the Belle Vue Co-op members. Minister Scott and his accompany party were present during this roadside meeting\gathering on the West Bank Public Road, in front of our co-op office, when Mr. (name given) and his agents came, and started arguing with a few of the persons present.
Threats were made by the man.
When the farmers asked Minister Scott if he will report these threats to the police, he told the farmers that whatever is said here let it stay here, and he went away.
Editor, is hoarding of money legal or a criminal offence? Before and after destroying our crops, it was reported that, Mr. (name given) is boasting that he have lots of money, by the boatloads. That he can hire the best lawyers and law firm to represent him.
Later, he is also boasting that he has top police friends.
Editor, if this is true or not, it is needed to be investigated. Editor, we the legitimate members, wrote the President and Prime Minister asking them to intervene and to help us get justice, compensation.
We want a return of all our lands and co-op rights to us.
It is reported that a few of our members have videos, photographs and tape recordings as evidence of the destruction, and the boasting of police favours.
The members are willing to provide them.
The President, Ministry for Public Security and the Prime Minister must meet with these members, and take the necessary action to protect these members and the information for future legal action. Editor, many of the co-op members are afraid of losing their land and rights to their co-op society.
It was reported that a few of the members are suffering stress and stroke because of these injustices, coercion and loss of income and the constant pandering and dilatory behaviour of officials in the co-op department and the Ministry for Social Protection. Editor, our Belle Vue Cane Farmers’ Marketing Co-op Society –Reg # 967, is one of the oldest or the oldest such society in Guyana.
It comprises 55 peasant farmers from Belle Vue Pilot Scheme, West Bank Demerara. In July-August 2017, the majority of the members- over 33- met more than once and the members democratically elected a new committee of management and also decided to explore other crops on their cane land.
In August 2017, the members elected representatives, applied for arbitration and requested Mr. Yoganand Persaud as the arbitrator.
A copy of this signed arbitration form was submitted to the CCDO, Ministry for Social Protection, Ministry for Community, Ministry for Agriculture, the Ministry of the Presidency and the Office of the Prime Minister.
We are still waiting to hear from the CCDO and the Ministry for Social Protection on this arbitration.
Editor, three members have lost over $6M from the destruction to their other crops/ farms. We had approximately two acres of cassava and sweet potatoes; and half of an acre of eddoes and dasheen; bora; ochroes; pumpkin; squash; peppers; cucumbers and over 300 plantain suckers (plants); over 350 3-year coconuts trees; eight soursop trees; 20 Katahar trees; 15 Papaya trees and other plants.
There are many other members who suffered significant losses too. The Belle Vue co-op legitimate members and their families want justice and compensation now.
Shyam Balkarran

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