RDC dissatisfied with Agriculture Ministry’s response
By Indrawattie Natram
The office of the Regional Democratic Council (RDC) of Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam) is dissatisfied with the response of the Agriculture Ministry to those farmers who suffered from recent floods during the rainy period.
According to Government Councillor Hardat Narine, there was clear evidence that
A resident pointing to where the water was four days ago
rice farmers across the region, including the Pomeroon areas, were severely affected. The Councillor at various forums vented his disappointment with Agriculture Minister Noel Holder in relation to the entire flooding situation. Narine said rice farmers suffered and there was no immediate response from the Ministry that was supposed to support them.
Like Narine, Region Two Chairman Devanand Ramdatt argued same, pointing out that all categories of farmers were affected including livestock, cashcrop and rice farmers.
Ramdatt said Minister Holder’s refusal to address the suffering of farmers in Region Two points to an uncaring attitude, one of negligence and a total lack of respect for the working class people of the region.
He further argued that the region’s economy is heavily dependent on the rice industry, alluding that the Agriculture Ministry and rice stakeholder, the Guyana Rice Development Board are not meaningfully engaging the RDC. To date, no meeting has been held with rice farmers to discuss the challenges facing them or
Farmers bearing placards protesting the non-support of Government
to even to enquire about their losses.
“To date, the RDC was not engaged in finding ways to support the affected farmerws even though the Minister of Agriculture was informed in writing about the sufferings of the residents due to the recent floods,” Ramdatt said.
As such, Ramdatt said the RDC is calling for an intervention to assist those farmers who suffered. Rice farmers are currently pressured to find additional resources to re-sow paddy that were already growing and were damaged by floodwaters.
Ramdatt said initiatives of providing fertiliser, pesticides and fuel after assessments were completed can go a far way in bringing relief to the affected farmers.
He said during his interactions with rice farmers, it was revealed that there are high levels of frustration and uncertainty among the farmers, with many expecting to know the price per bag of paddy they will be getting for next crop. Some of these farmers are still owed by millers Guyana Times was told.
There were also concerns over the rice cereal crisp factory not being operational to assist the industry. To vent their frustrations, rice farmers recently protested the poor state of the industry at Anna Regina. During the protest, they vented their concerns and called for the subject Minister to visit the region.
