Dear Editor,
Please permit me a space to share with my Guyanese brothers and sisters, and more so the ones overseas who are following developments at home through your dailies, as to what’s happening and what the people are saying.
Over the past several weeks, there has been much discussion about the state of Guyana’s agriculture sector. While there have been both positive and negative comments, I wish to share what I personally observed after visiting several of the country’s major rice-producing regions.
Before highlighting the positive feedback from farmers, I must first address a concern that was consistently raised in every region I visited.
Many rice farmers expressed frustration with some regional agricultural officials. Farmers said that when they submit complaints, make suggestions, or seek assistance, the officials often listen, take notes, and promise to follow up, yet little or no action is taken.
However, once the President or Minister of Agriculture visits the region and those same issues are raised publicly, the matters are suddenly addressed.
When the President or minister visits the regions, and those very complaints, suggestions, or help matters are raised at this point, then those very officers act on the same matter that was raised with them before the visit.
I have said before, and I repeat it today, that Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo was correct when he warned against public officials acting as “lords” over the people.[1]
Unfortunately, this criticism applies to some officials across various ministries, including sections of the agriculture sector. Public servants are paid by taxpayers to serve the public efficiently, professionally, and fairly. Farmers should not have to wait until a ministerial visit before receiving attention to legitimate concerns.
This jankilar way of work needs to stop, and those officials must know that they are being paid by taxpayers’ money to do their public servant jobs, and must do it to the best of their ability in ensuring that help and assistance is being given to the farmers.
Having said that, I must also acknowledge what I witnessed during the recent distribution of rice farmers’ relief cheques across the country.
As I traveled across the rice farming regions over the past weeks to observe the distribution of the relief rice farmers’ cheques, I must say that rice farmers across this country are happy and echoed that happiness in every way they possibly could as they wholeheartedly and publicly praised the Government of Guyana.
From Essequibo to West Demerara, West Berbice, Corentyne, and the Strathavon/Cane Grove farming communities, there was a strong sense of appreciation among rice farmers. Many openly expressed gratitude to President Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali for his leadership and to Minister of Agriculture Zulfikar Mustapha for what they believe has been sustained attention to the agriculture sector since 2020.
Farmers weren’t just praising the government for their strong stand for agriculture but also reflected on how they were treated between 2015 and 2020 by the then PNC (APNU/AFC) government and Minister of Agriculture.
Farmers recalled increases in drainage and irrigation (D&I) charges and land rental fees during that period. Others spoke about inadequate maintenance of drainage and irrigation infrastructure and the financial difficulties they faced because of low paddy prices and increasing production costs.
Agricultural machinery and equipment were heavily taxed under the PNC government, which also created hardship for farmers, so they could not have invested because of the cost of that machinery and equipment that is needed in the industry.
Today, rice farmers are happy because this PPP government has since taken out the burden by dropping the D&I and land rental fee to where it was when they left office in 2015. Tax was halted /reduced on agricultural machinery and equipment and products, leaving more in the pockets of the farmers so that they can invest and better the rice industry.
Many said these initiatives have allowed them to reinvest in their farms and improve production.
Today, rice farmers are happy for what this government is doing for them, as they are reaping benefits which they are in full praise of.
I spoke to many of the farmers; they were in joy and said to me that under this government and the leadership of Minister Mustapha, rice farming has seen better days.
They said that because of what this government is doing for the industry, more and more farmers want to invest heavily in making the sector better and taking it to greater heights.
One message I heard repeatedly was that confidence within the rice industry has improved. Many farmers believe the sector is now better positioned for growth and that younger farmers are showing greater interest in investing.
At the same time, farmers also acknowledged that agriculture remains vulnerable to challenges beyond any government’s control. Climate change has resulted in increasingly unpredictable and intense rainfall, creating flooding that affects production. They also recognised that rice prices are influenced by international markets and that fluctuations in global demand inevitably affect local producers.
Farmers also acknowledge that the price of their produce is sometimes different, and that is due to the world market; and around the world, the price for rice is fluctuating. So, they have to be prepared at times for the worst.
Brothers and sisters in the rice industry, under this government you have been getting the proper treatment in this sector, and the government is always willing to help you in every way they can. Do not fall for the gimmicks of the waste opposition parties because they don’t care for your well-being but just for your votes.
Under the previous government, they gave you nothing and continue to misrepresent the facts in the industry just to get into your heads so that you can join with them to cuss out the government. Don’t be fooled again as you were fooled in 2015.
Under this government, you, the rice farmers, are seeing the betterment of yourself and your families and within the industry.
We heard the talk of diversification, and you should take up that opportunity boldly to start diversifying into other crops and livestock.
Diversifying does not mean that you have to finish with rice, but simply means you are going to venture out into other agricultural businesses, and, in this way, you are going to have more ways to earn an extra income and not solely be depending on rice.
The naysayers won’t want you to diversify because they know nothing about diversification in agriculture, but all they know is eating rice and agricultural produce.
Over the past months, the main opposition sanction leader and his team- I won’t even talk about PNC because they are dead flies- have been talking and targeting the agriculture sector of this country, but the real questions should be: what has the opposition done to better agriculture between 2015 and 2020, and the PNC needs to answer that?
What does the main opposition leader know of agriculture? What has the main opposition spokesman on agriculture done in his days to better GuySuCo? Wasn’t it the main opposition spokesman on agriculture the one that joined hands with PNC to close down the sugar estates and send thousands of sugar workers packing? What was done for the cash crop farmers? What was done for the cattle farmers?
Today, these so-called uneducated ones on agriculture want to lecture this government about agricultural development and best practices. Shameless set of people.
The opposition parties should be ashamed to even speak up on this sector because they are the ones, and yes, I say they are the ones, because many of them that are now in WIN and PNC are the ones that try to undermine the development of agriculture and the people of Guyana.
I am challenging the PNC government and those in WIN that were part of the PNC government between 2015 and 2020 to explain to this nation what they did to improve the agriculture sector and what benefits the people had under that government.
I call on all rice farmers to continue working hand-in-hand with the government; the Minister of Agriculture and the rice industry will continue strive and improve every day under this PPP government.
I call on all my Guyanese brothers and sisters to reflect on the five years of suffering under the PNC government between 2015 and 2020, and ask yourselves if you want those years to return for us to suffer.
Let’s work collectively with the PPP government in ensuring the development continues, and we get the good life we deserve, not the one we were and are being promised again by the opposition, where their good life means suffering the people who are not affiliated with their party. Ayo, remember Volda Lawrence’s statement: “jobs only for the PNC.”