Dear Editor,

THE recently elected or selected People’s Progressive Party presidential candidate Mr. Irfaan Ali, soon after that process was completed and the result made public, visited the Essequibo Coast and had discussions with mainly rice farmers, and as expected, falsely led them to believe that the coalition government APNC+AFC do not have their interest at heart.

There is evidence in abundance that it was under the PPP’s 23 years in government that the rapid decline in the rice industry begin, where small-scale farmers rented and sold their lands to the millers and large-scale farmers and millers were owing farmers for lengthy periods and the dissatisfaction with the grading and weight system begin to become a major area of concern, the price for a bag of paddy was frustrating and still is.

All of this happened under four consecutive PPP Presidents, namely Dr. Cheddi Jagan, Janet Jagan, Bharrat Jagdeo and Donald Ramotar, whose tenure may have been the worst of all, not forgetting may be about seven senior and junior Ministers of Agriculture during those 23 years.  It is therefore ridiculous and grossly unfair for the opposition led by Jagdeo, who had 10 years as president, and who is widely believed to have been calling the shots during the Ramotar presidency, to blame the APNU+AFC coalition for the unhealthy situation in the rice industry.  They could not have done the job in 23 years, but now criticise the coalition for not doing it in three.

It is amazing how conveniently people can forget that it was the People’s National Congress government under the late President Desmond Hoyte that the price for paddy raise from below $3,000 per bag to more than $4,500 per bag.

Yours faithfully,
Archie W. Cordis.