Region 2 rice farmers still owed

– AFC Councillor says millers are at fault

By: Indrawattie Natram

Rice farmers in Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam) are currently in the sowing period for the autumn crop, but even as they are doing so, a majority of rice farmers are still owed millions of dollars.

At the statutory Regional Democratic Council (RDC) meeting held on May 10, RDC Councillors from both Opposition and Government debated the issue. Taking the floor first on the matter was seasoned AFC politician, Naithram. He told Councillors he is very disturbed about the manner in which rice farmers are being treated by millers and is concerned about the non-payments.

Naithram who is a farmers’ representative and also member of the Guyana Rice Development Board (GRDB), said to his knowledge the fourth shipment of paddy was sent to Panama and explained that even as the shipments are sailing, the millers would have received advance monies to pay rice farmers.

He said the question lingers as to why rice farmers are still owed even as government intervenes through the GRDB, ensuring that millers receive money to pay farmers.

The AFC Councillor also questioned why is the Rice Producers’ Association (RPA) not following up on such matters. He also asked why the Region’s rice cereal factory has not been put into operation, even though so many persons are unemployed.

According to Region Two Chairman Devanand Ramdatt, rice farmers are facing serious challenges within the region and the problem persists where the payments received by millers are not reaching the producers. This he said is a huge deterrent in the industry as well as the region’s struggling economy.

PPP/C Councillor, Dr Ranjeev Singh also asked during the discussion why Rice Producers Association (RPA) is not doing meaningful follow-ups. However, RPA representative and also PPP/C Councillor Showkat Ali said the RPA is doing what it can but previously when money was released by GRDB to millers it was written in rice farmers’ names. In that system millers do not have any control over the money and rice farmers were benefiting.

Another PPP/C Councillor Arnold Adams wanted to know from Naithram why he is not staging protests over the non-payments, as he did under the PPP/C Government. Under the PPP/C Government Naithram staged several protests against the Region Two administration and the GRDB, stating that they were failing rice farmers.

In response, Naithram said he is before the court for protesting and he is presently on a one-year bond to keep the peace.

Region Two Chairman Ramdatt assured the council that a letter will be sent to the Agriculture Minister on the matter. He said it is sad that most emails he send to Agriculture Minister Noel Holder are never answered or no replies given to him.