APNU Councillor of the Region Two Democratic Council, Mr. Wazir Latiff is calling on rice farmers to take millers to court to get their payment due to them for paddy sold several months ago. The Councillor in responding strongly to AFC Councillor Naithram question about why rice farmers are not paid for their paddy sold some five months to millers said rice farmers have at their disposal the rice factory act and they should use it to take delinquent millers to court for their payments. However the AFC Councillor shot back at the APNU Councillor saying rice farmers are afraid to take millers to court. He called for the rice factory act to be revisited and for delinquent millers licenses to be revoked.

At this point Regional Chairman Mr. Parmanand Persaud intervened and said if the millers licenses will be revoked then farmers will greatly suffer. Mr. Persaud said Government is always helping to bail out farmers in terms of payment. He said Government has pledged some $2.1B some two weeks ago to help pay farmers. The Chairman said farmers will have to take millers to court but they don’t want to go that way.
Mr. Persaud said the AFC Councillor has a copy of the rice factory act and he should study it carefully. The Chairman said the agreement between a rice farmer and miller is a private one.
However APNU Councillor Latiff stood up again and said more dialogue is needed between rice farmers and millers and they must come face to face at meetings to solve the problems in the industry. (Rajendra Prabhulall in Essequibo)