Decade-long dispute between Region 5 famers settled

Attorney General and Legal Affairs Minister Anil Nandlall and Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha met with cattle and rice/cash crop farmers in Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice) to resolve a long-standing land dispute.

The farmers are cattle farmers as well as rice and cash crop farmers, who have a decade-old dispute in relation to the occupation and use of certain lands located at the back of the Rampoor-Shieldstown area.
The disputed land in the Rampoor-Shieldstown area and is solely occupied by cattle farmers.
For years, consecutive Governments have been trying to have the farmers arrive at a compromise to bring an end to the animosity and controversy.
The A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) Government had made attempts to give the disputed land to persons who are not farmers and those in the area took the matter to court.
On Saturday, the two Ministers met with the competing group of farmers.
During the meeting, both sides provided information on how they intend to use and occupy the land. They have agreed to organise themselves into co-op societies so that whatever compromise is arrived at, will be with the co-op society of which the farmers will be members.
The Attorney General told the group of farmers that it is Government’s intention to divide the land in an acceptable way based on the agreement between the two parties.
Speaking with the media following the meeting on Saturday, Nandlall said the Agriculture Ministry will regularise the occupation of the land so that licence or lease for the land can become available for those farmers.
“That is a part of the Government’s programme, going onto the ground right across the country to meet with every sector of our country and to address all of the needs of our people. We do not believe in a style of Government where we sit in our air-conditioned offices in Georgetown and govern,” Nandlall said.
Meanwhile, the Agriculture Minister told reporters that both groups have agreed to work with the Ministry in an effort to have the dispute resolved as quickly as possible.
“They have already formed one co-op and the cattle farmers have formed themselves into another group. Hopefully, within two months we can have this matter resolved,” he revealed.
He added that the land will be zoned to prevent the current cattle/rice conflict.
Meanwhile, the MMA has since been advised to conduct occupational survey for the division of the land having been given the mandate to commence the needed infrastructural work.
“We will try to expedite this matter,” Mustapha added.
There are many such conflicts within farming communities around the country, the Minister said, adding that some of these are in Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam); Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara) and the Corentyne Coast and Black Bush Polder in Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne) also have similar ongoing conflicts.
According to the Agriculture Minister, the goal is to ensure that land becomes available for cattle and rice farmers as well as cash crop farmers.
He said it is very important for these conflicts be resolved as early as possible if Guyana is to advance its agricultural food programme in Caricom.
According to Mustapha, it is hoped that more than a hundred will be benefiting from the land when it is divided. (G4)