Dear Editor,
PLEASE allow me to say thanks to the Minister of Agriculture,The Hon Noel Holder, MP and his team for visiting Region Five on Thursday, January 12, 2017. The minister and team met with farmers across the region as they gave them the opportunity to voice their concerns.The outreach saw meetings at Little Biaboo, Mahaica Creek, Strath Campbell, Mahaicony and Fort Wellington, West Coast Berbice. Farmers were given the opportunity to face the minister and vent their concerns, be it land rates, D&I, cattle rearing, cash crops, etc. The minister and team also addressed the farmers and advised them as to the way forward and also on plans to develop Region Five into an agricultural community.
The meetings were well attended and everyone was given the opportunity to voice their concerns on what is important to them, or what\where they want to see improvements. Some farmers spoke about the rise in rent for land at MMA\ADA and the matter was also addressed by the Hon Minister. On a later date, I will also address the land rent issue, which is of importance to all rice farmers.
The meeting at little Biaboo in the Mahaica creek was well attended by the farmers. While the farmers said nothing about the hike in the land rent by MMA/DA, they were very encouraged and pledged to do some self-help work in the area. Some of the farmers even offered to purchase their own tubes to put across the dams for better drainage; this tells me that the farmers have farming at heart, no matter what. However, I was very much surprised at the behaviour of the Rice Producers Association head, who, by the way is a Member of Parliament. Mr Dharamkumar Seeraj turned up after the meeting was finished and as the minister and his team were about to leave. He was sharing placards with various anti-government and anti-agricultural development slogans. It is shameful to see an MP trying to derail the road to development in the agriculture sector or any sector at all. Moreover, this man claims he is for the farmers, but yet shows his political failure by using a few women to stage his protest. It was shameful.
The women who were agreeable were given the placards to hold, they didn’t even know what was marked on them. One woman turned to the Hon Jennifer Wade, MP and asked her, “Wha this thing mark hey gal?” Another woman turned the placard upside down and was asking ,”Why me holding dis cardboard, fu wha?”
It’s a shame on Seeraj to try to disrupt a peaceful gathering. He should be ashamed to face the farmers who have turned their backs on him. Amazingly, no other RPA representatives were there to listen to the farmers. This protest was unwanted, because the farmers stood far away from this trouble-maker and lent him no support.
I am calling on the RPA to do something more productive and truly represent the farmers. Stop playing politics with the lives of the farmers and start the work you never did, that is to show love and interest for the farmers and the agriculture sector. Mr Minister, I want to applaud you and your team for the visit and hope that in 2017 we will see many more visits, not only from the Agriculture Ministry, but all the government ministries and agencies.
Regards
Abel Seetaram
APNU+AFC
Regional Councillor
Region Five