Hundreds of rice farmers and residents called on the Government of Guyana and the Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice) Regional Democratic Council (RDC) to combine their resources and repair/upgrade the deteriorating Esau and Jacob road which they claim has resulted in immense discomfort and undue hardship for their families.
The farmers gathered at the road – which is located in the Burma Rice Milling Community at Mahaicony, Region Five – on Tuesday morning in the scorching sun to protest and call for the Central Government to respond to their pleas with urgency since they would have been lobbying various entities over the past year and a half to no avail.
Section of the Esau to Jacob road, Burma, Mahaicony
Former Region Five Regional Chairman Rabindranauth Bisnauth, who is also a rice farmer, speaking with Guyana Times during an interview in the backlands, said famers who utilise the main access road and the Burma Rice Mill road to transport their produce from their farms to the market places and mills are frustrated by the deplorable state of the roads.
“These roads are in a state of disrepair… They are in a bad condition and we have been calling on the Government and RDC to lend more assistance to their upgrade and maintenance… This Esau/Jacob Road is impassable,” he reiterated, as he explained that close to half a million bags of paddy are usually transported via the road before arriving at the various market places and mills.
Bisnauth said the hundreds of affected farmers are working and cultivating more than 7500 acres of rice land which span the area.
“I know that the RDC may be constrained by its budget, but we want the Ministries of Agriculture and Public Infrastructure to come together and get the road fixed,” the former Regional Chairman said.
Other farmers who were present also explained that there are two major potholes in the main access road which have made it even more impassable over the past six months.
“Look at the condition of this road… When will they fix it…. Will they wait until someone dies or another accident occurs,” one farmer reasoned. He said he was concerned that the authorities were dragged their feet on the matter, even as the residents and farmers continue to suffer and face continued hardships while traversing the road on a daily basis.
Another farmer said vehicles and heavy-duty trucks experience difficulty traversing the road, especially during the rainy seasons.
“This road is damaging all of your vehicles and you have to constantly spend a lot of money on parts because it brucking it up as soon as you drive,” the farmer maintained, as he called for proper road works and maintenance to be undertaken.
“I have been farming for years and this road is the main one that people utilise… It is a long, long, time since them come and look at it… they don’t really care about people welfare… God forbid if someone should happen to someone at the back here,” he said, as he demanded swift action and an end to excuses for inaction.
Asked whether there were any recent accidents along the road, the farmers responded in the affirmative.
“Only recently a truck carrying fertiliser get stick up on the road and all the fertiliser end up in the drain plus it does tek long to reach certain parts of the road,” another reasoned.
The farmers claimed the matter was also discussed with the Regional Executive Officer and other top rice board officials, but to no avail.
The clearly frustrated farmers said they expected a team of officials and Ministers to visit the area and to come up with a strategy for fixing the deplorable main access road, if Government is truly seriously about promoting its grow more campaign and improving the condition of farm to market roads. (Michael Younge)
