Dear editor,
PLEASE allow me space in your letter column to give my view on the topic above. As many may say, do not compare the past with the present, but I will speak as to the APNU+AFC five years in office and about the PPP\C in office presently for about 20 months.
Editor, during the five years of the former government (APNU+AFC) rule, the MMA-ADA was almost destroyed and brought down to nothing, all because of the AFC Executive member who was put to head the agriculture ministry, which is one of the most important ministries in government here in Guyana.
Agriculture is the backbone of our economy and all of Guyana depends on it for survival. It employs tens of thousands and feeds our nation. It sees billions and billions of dollars being poured into this sector by private investors.
Under the APNU+AFC term in office, hundreds of farmers almost became crippled in their investments. Why? The then Minister of Agriculture had no vision to enhance the sector or to do anything to better the work of the MMA-ADA.
Many times, calls were made by farmers for assistance, be it in D&I works or for aid in reduction in taxes, rates and VAT on agricultural products and machinery. But those calls went unanswered. The dams and drains within the scheme of the MMA-ADA were going very bad and MMA-ADA could not have done anything, because there was no equipment available to assist the farmers.
Many times, farmers would request the lowering of their rates and taxes, so that they can take care of the drainage and irrigation within their farmlands, but nothing was given. Instead, the minister and his ministry along with the APNU+AFC imposed a rise in the rates and taxes on the farmers.
Farmers refuse to pay the sums because nothing was done to better their drainage canals and dams by MMA, which had no equipment. The ministry and central government paid no heed to the farmers; instead, they demanded what they wanted from the farmers.
I can go on and on, but in a nutshell and we all know, and there is no doubt in this that the entire APNU+AFC Government, and in particular the Agriculture Ministry, failed Guyana and the farmers who are the ones who feed the nation.
The PPP government was elected to office about 20 months now and the MMA-ADA and the farmers within the region are very much pleased and appreciate the many positives done by the Ministry of Agriculture headed by the Hon Zulfikar Mustapha, MP, so that they can continue farming.
The MMA-ADA is now equipped with several pieces of machinery to the tune of about a 100 million Guyana dollars. Farmers already see their drainage system and dams within the scheme being better. Yes, there will be some who will complain, but all the drains and dams can’t be done at the same time.
Farmers benefitted from free fertilisers and the waiving of land fee rental due to the heavy rainfall that left them to suffer by losing their crops. Farmers also benefitted from the removal of VAT on agricultural products and machinery.
Ministerial visits in the past few months by the Hon Zulfikar Mustapha outnumbered those by his predecessor’s five years in office. Officials from the MoA are very much more visible in the region and technical assistance is being given to farmers.
Farmers’ concerns are now being addressed in a timelier manner and moreover, MMA-ADA officials can now better function in executing their duties and services to those within the authority. Farmers now feel a sense of expanding and investing more in their farmlands than during the APNU+AFC’s years in office.
I talk to farmers in this region daily and they are praising the government for their inputs in the sector. Many thanks to the Minister of Agriculture for his vision for this sector and for ensuring that the MMA-ADA is better equipped to serve.
Yours respectfully,
Abel Seetaram
