If we fail to listen, we will fail to learn

Dear Editor,
The curtain has been drawn and the stage is boldly set to go into full-time paddy production at the now abandoned Wales Sugar Plantation.
The lands that have been converted by the Ministry of Agriculture for the sole purpose of propagating new strains of seed paddy through state Agency GRDB and the state institution Burma Rice Research Station is another Government ploy to go into paddy production, in order to fully occupy the vast unutilized cane lands at Wales Estate.
The whole concept is for the state to go into competition with the country’s peasant rice farmers.
Let us look at some outstanding facts. Burma Rice Research Station has a vast expanse of fertile land — 500 acres or more, and well laid out for experimental purposes. It also, has a full complement of useful infrastructure, well placed for modern scientific research operations.
But GRDB most admit, of course, that without the usual manoeuvre skills to cover up that Burma Research Station is budgetary restricted, it has become less than it used to be, and the generally semi-skilled and unskilled labour force is far too limited. Burma Ric Research Station is in a state of quandary because of foolhardiness.
There has to be optimum use of all available land space, and proper focus on plots that are designated for the propagation of seed paddy for farmers. We can never deny reality — what you paid for is what you will get. Burma Research does not have the necessary financial resources to do its work uniformly.
Let’s be even more realistic: remuneration for every category of worker at this institution needs to be upgraded so as to encourage better performance. In the end who will suffer? The poor rice farmers.
The above is an overview of what we have and are not properly utilising. But then we want to undertake a similar project on lands bereft of all things to do proper seedling production.
Lands that have been growing sugar cane for almost all its entire existence can be very difficult and expensive to convert into rice cultivation.
I would like to ask GRDB Board of Directors one salient question, and that is: why decentralize paddy seedling production when all that Burma Rice Research Station needs is an infusion of cash flow and more attention? For several crops, rice farmers are unable to obtain basic seedlings because this particular qualify of seedling has never been in the right quality to satisfy the needs of a greater number of rice farmers.
On various occasions, all seed paddy stocks had become completely exhausted, which more often than not sent rice farmers into a frenzy looking for same, only to be exploited by fellow rice farmers with very poor quality at exorbitant prices.
It appears as though all is well at Burma Research Station, but there are policy constraints and there are under-wraps by GRDB’s Board of Directors where bureaucracy is foremost.
To avoid a debacle in paddy cultivation at Wales Estate, why can’t Central Government be generous in their resolve, and by way of resolutions give the sugar workers of that particular abandoned sugar plantation titled parcels of lands so that they can continue to earn a decent livelihood? The lands can be zoned for different crops, and this will bring some semblance of trust, peace and satisfaction in all directions.
I am really concerned about the daily plight of our brothers and sisters at Wales Estate. They don’t deserve to be left financially broke and stranded, without a proper source of income.
In another section of the media, the statistics of GRDB’s chief extension officer was quoted as vouching, that this autumn crop has seen an increase of acreage in rice cultivation.
This declaration is erroneous, and statistically nor geographically lots of rice farmers did not put in a crop; and those who were willing, had no financial resource to do so. The main reason for leaving rice lands idle is the very low prices paid for rice farmers’ paddy.
I have the deepest appreciation and the highest regards for M. Ragnauth’s devout and principled services to the country’s rice farmers. He understands the language and the feelings of the farmers. He is the most popular of the extension personnel.
He has always been very humble to everyone, and he is a university graduate whose services could be evaluated to that of the late Production Manager of GRDB, CP Kennard. However, I feel that I should caution him on his source of information to prepare his all-time sensitive reports. Statistical information must come from the farmers’ mouths and the establishers’ proof of his fields.
Lastly, when “Rear Guards” have finally emerged to become herds of Government agencies and Government institutions, a once honourable man can be forced to do the unexpected.
If we fail to listen, we will fail to learn; and if we fail to learn, we will all be consumed.

Yours faithfully,
Ganga Persaud