Dear Editor,

IT IS very sad that the Rice Producers Association is misleading farmers in Region 5 by claiming that it has the farmers’ interests at heart.I met with several rice farmers in the region over the past weeks, to listen to their concerns; be it in D&I, paddy availability, state of dams, etc. Many of the farmers said that the Guyana Rice Development Board (GRDB) does not have seed paddy available. When I asked who told them or provided them with the information, they said the RPA Reps.

I contacted GRDB at Burma to know the facts, and was told a different story; I was told that there are almost five thousand bags of seed paddy in store presently, and that the information provided to the farmers is far from the truth.

Firstly, let me state that RPA Reps are not employees of GRDB or the Government. This is a PPP agency headed by someone whom we know always misleads the public on the rice sector.

Secondly, farmers believe the RPA Reps because they are visiting GRDB at Burma twice weekly, so the farmers take their words for granted. Why is it that RPA Reps are allowed at GRDB facilities twice weekly when they are not government employees? Please, GRDB, educate me and the public on this.

Thirdly, it’s a shame that, because of RPA misinformation, many of the farmers have had to source seed paddy elsewhere. Some didn’t even get the amount they were looking for.

How can an association which claims to represent rice farmers be so misleading? Is this a tactic that is being used by RPA to ensure that farmers suffer? Is this a plan to see that the rice industry is crippled, or is this a way to bad-mouth the Government on the rice sector? Dr. Mahendra and staff at GRDB Burma are working all crops in and out to ensure that farmers have the best, and for RPA to be so misleading is in itself discrediting to those workers.

I call on GRDB to ensure that those RPA Reps stay within their limits, so that they can stop misleading the farmers in Region 5.
Regards,
ABEL SEETARAM
APNU+AFC Regional Councillor
Region 5