Your Eyewitness was intrigued by the headline “GuySuCo seeking private planters for 25% of land”. The first thought that came into his head (uninvited!!) was, “Does this mean we’re gonna cancel 25% of the orders for those horrendously expensive ‘articulated tractors’?” Was that the (cane) straw that broke the (cane) camel’s back?? Well, if not that, SOMETHING must’ve happened to usher in this seismic change of direction in our inaugural agricultural endeavour!!
Not to harp on this, but unless we plebes are let in on the background of this change, we really can’t be commenting in an “informed” manner. And since the sugar industry is “Owned and Operated by the People of Guyana” – according to the signs that were erected in front of all the sugar estates!! – we should know, shouldn’t we??
Was it all the free advice to GuySuCo’s management that was being provided through the courtesy of our dailies??
A good chunk of that – including from this space – has suggested that ALL of GuySuCo’s land be leased to workers in 15-acre plots. Then let them be responsible for producing the cane that would be cut and loaded by them onto punts that are owned and operated by GuySuCo. It’s been proven that this is the size of farms that can be optimally cultivated by families. Remember the sainted Jagan and BBP? But, from the announcement, the 12,000 acres of land’s gonna be leased in minimum 1000-acre plots; meaning, 12 farmers max!!
The devil, of course, is gonna be in the details of the arrangement!! The major detail, of course, being at what price will GuySuCo be accepting the cane? Going back to the days of Bookers, GuySuCo’s been trying to get a viable and sustainable cane-farming segment going. One of the major problems was that payment was based on the amount of sugar extracted from the farmers’ canes. This, of course, is completely dependent on the efficiencies achieved by the factories. Since Bookers’ days, the operations of the factories have all gone downhill!! At one factory, as much sugar was left in the molasses as in the crystals after the centrifuge!!
Why should the farmers be penalised??
But, dear readers, being as perspicacious as you always are, you must be muttering, “Wouldn’t small farmers face the same challenges as the 12 big farmers??” Well…erm…no!! Small farmers will be paid on the WEIGHT of the cane they deliver to the punts. After that, GuySuCo’s on its own!!
Now, you may ask, “Why not do the same for the big farmers?” Well, let’s see the Government changing THAT bit of legislation and be accused of favouring the “big boys”!!
In case you didn’t notice, elections are in the air!!
…on campaigning
And on that note, your Eyewitness is kinda amazed the PNC’s been knocked for SIX in the PPP’s blitzkrieg for votes. Right after Granger cried, “No mas…no mas” and threw in the white towel on Aug 2nd 2020!! And no…your Eyewitness didn’t miss the rightness of doing this right after Emancipation Day. Hadn’t Rodney, the prophet of emancipation, reminded us that African Guyanese came out of slavery with their dignity intact. And they shouldn’t allow two-bit poseurs like Burnham – much less his pale wannabe Granger – take that away?!!
Yes…Guyana’s a democracy, and, in democracies, political parties go after votes they missed in the last elections. Hence all this wooing of Amerindians and African Guyanese through the distribution of grants (floods, schoolchildren, housing) and lots of jobs and whatever else they can hand out!! Including footballs and cricket gear – complete with fields and facilities!!
So now there’s a new complaint: the PPP wants to occupy all the political space!! Isn’t that what democracy’s all about?
Bajan’s ain’t complaining about Mia getting all 30 seats in their Parliament!!
…on AFC
For some reason that your Eyewitness couldn’t fathom, movies about zombies – the living dead – are flourishing in the make-believe world of cinema and TV.
They’ve obviously inspired the “dead meat” AFC in their galvanic twitches!!
