I believe that Guyana is feeling the effects of the global financial meltdown that commenced last year, hence, the low prices being offered by millers which are influenced by the international trade of rice.

Guyana has not been spared of the effects of the financial crisis that is affecting even the highly industrialised countries where farmers and other industries are subsidized to ensure their sustainability to compete on the international market.

As such, rice farmers must be pleased about government’s intervention to make available G$400M to support the rice industry in these difficult times. This re-emphasises the fact that this government is caring and cognisant of the realities that farmers and other ordinary citizens face on a daily basis.

There are many opposition and mischievous elements that are exploiting farmers due to situation of low paddy prices for their own political or other gains. If half of these people genuinely care for rice farmers they would have either supported the government in finding solutions or provide assistance to the farmers independently if they genuinely wanted to help farmers.

For the first time I saw a television station owner visit Essequibo in an attempt to create disunity and spread chaos in an effort to promote himself. How much more selfish a man can get. Rice Farmers had a legitimate cause and the television owner offered no solutions other than protest and cast blame on those genuinely trying to help as in the case where the Minister of Agriculture made representation for farmers to government resulting in financial and other support for farmers.

In closing I would like to say that Essequibians are peaceful and hardworking people and will not be led astray by some who are fighting to show their relevance as an opposition party. The television owner had portrayed himself as someone who could assist, but in the end he had nothing to offer. Shame on him for misleading farmers!
SURAJ SINGH
Farmer/Entrepreneur