REGION 2 (Pomeroon/ Supenaam) Chairman Parmanand Persaud, yesterday, weighed in on last Friday’s violence which followed a peaceful protest by rice farmers demanding payment from millers, and made it clear that the actions of the Alliance For Change (AFC) Regional Councillor, Mr. Naith Ram, were the worst display of irresponsibility.“This is cheap politics. As a political party, they are losing support and the protest was an attempt to regain lost ground,” he said.
According to him, a “drunk” Ram not only incited farmers, who had been imbibing, to burn tyres and block roads, but also displayed a complete disregard for the resolution reached the day before the protest, during a meeting with farmers and millers.
“I told him when I went to talk to the farmers on Friday night that the farmers and millers agreed to a payment plan. He knew this,” Persaud said.
The Regional Chairman added that Ram’s vulgarity made the situation worse for him, in terms of his respectability and particularly in terms of its impact on his post as councillor.
“In that one night, he stripped himself twice,” Persaud said.

NOT NECESSARY
He explained the violence was an unnecessary resort, particularly since the Regional Administration, in addition to the support by the Guyana Rice Development Board (GRDB) and the Guyana Rice Producers Association (RPA), offered its support to farmers.
The Regional Chairman acknowledged the issue of non-payment to farmers as a legitimate problem, but made it clear that the region’s offer of support was declined by AFC’s Ram.
“He (Ram) has people on a PA (public announcement) speakers saying the Chairman and regional officials were invited to the protest march and refused to come. This is absolutely false. After I heard this, I went, and even the farmers recognised that I was not invited,” Persaud said.
He stated too that the cheap political play not only caused discomfort among residents, but showed complete contempt for a heritage site, the Anna Regina Heritage Bridge.
“Even in the height of protest, I went to talk to the farmers. I appealed for them to stop and even repeated that this problem was discussed at the meeting on Thursday, which was only the day before. I said this to Mr. Naith Ram, but they continued,” the Chairman said.
Asked about payments to farmers, he said, as agreed, millers continue to disburse the monies owed to farmers.
“Farmers are getting their money. The banks are full,” Persaud said.
By the end of this week, some $400M is expected to be paid out. The problem of delayed payments has been an ongoing one which has been addressed through discussions and agreements between farmers and millers. This is the first time such violence has manifested itself over the matter.

(By Vanessa Narine )