October 18, 2016

Archives for May 18, 2016

New TIGI President supports transfer of Minister Broomes

Conflict of interest

as conflict of interest concerns continue to rage over Junior Natural Resources Minister Simona Broomes’ mining interests and current oversight of the mining sector, newly-appointed President of the local corruption watchdog, Transparency Institute of Guyana Inc (TIGI), Troy Thomas said the entire situation was embarrassing, and supported calls for the Minister to be transferred to another Ministry.

Broomes’ mining interests came under scrutiny over the weekend after information surfaced suggesting she was granted another Mining Permit H43/MP/000 by the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC).

However, the Minister denied this, noting that the Simona Broomes mentioned in the documents which were

Newly-appointed TIGI President Troy Thomas

Newly-appointed TIGI President Troy Thomas

made public is her daughter who shares the same name.

She said her mining interests were transferred to her two children, thus removing any cloud of conflict of interest that may linger.

When contacted on Tuesday, Thomas said that TIGI did not discuss the Broomes issue thus far.

“This issue we have not discussed,” he stated, but promised to hold talks with the TIGI executive on the issue soon.

However, when asked about a personal perspective on the issue, Thomas said that while he recognised the Minister has found herself in a tough spot, she will at some point have to make a decision.

“Because if mining is all I have been doing all my life, then it becomes a choice between that and being Minister and I see that from a personal standpoint as being something harsh,” he conceded, but agreed that the Minister’s presence in the Ministry which has oversight of the mining sector does create a conflict of interest..

“They might also argue that she has expertise in that area, but I am not sure I will buy that, because ultimately she is working in that area and Guyana is a small country and the contacts with officials will be very close, so I

Junior Natural Resources Minister Simona Broomes

Junior Natural Resources Minister Simona Broomes

think it does create a conflict of interest from a personal standpoint,” he stated.

Thomas also said he supported the position that the Minister should be reassigned to another Ministry, which could significantly reduce the accusations of a conflict of interest.

“It might indeed be better if she has to be a minister, to go somewhere else, because no matter how you turn, it doesn’t look good,” he opined.

Last Sunday, two other anti-corruption advocates suggested that the Minister be transferred from the Natural Resources Ministry.

Political commentator Dr Henry Jeffrey contended that the only way concerns of conflict of interest could be eliminated was by completely removing the Minister from the Natural Resources Ministry.

“I don’t think Minister Broomes understands clearly what conflict of interest means. I can understand her dilemma being in mining all this time and you know it’s a family business, and she is now in the Ministry involved with mining. What she should be asking is for Government to remove her from there and put her somewhere else. She could be in another Ministry,” Dr Jeffrey stated.

Another political commentator and economist Ramon Gaskin reasoned that Broomes’ decision to transfer her mining operations to her children did not put to rest conflict of interest concerns.

“That doesn’t solve the problem because when the children go into Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) to do business, they know that the children’s mother is the Minister, so that really don’t solve the problem,” he explained.

Despite these concerns of conflict of interest, there has been no official statement from Government regarding this issue.

 However, Broomes told a news conference Monday that she was not moved by this “deliberate attempt to besmirch” her character and those of her children.

The Minister, who has spent some 28 years as a miner, said that while her children continue to operate in the mining sector, there is no preferential treatment, as rather her children were “toeing the line”.

Broomes boasted that prior to becoming a Minister, she maintained a spotless character and it was her intention to continue to maintain that character and leave a legacy of transparency and accountability.

“It is not an easy task, but I have committed. I am one of the female Ministers that will stand tall and I will not buckle,” she said.

Some transparency and accountability advocates are maintaining that the Minister’s decision to transfer her mining interests to her children do not remove the cloud of conflict of interest, since they are in essence managing her business.

They also suggested that the Minister was in breach of the Government’s highly-touted Code of Conduct for Ministers, parliamentarians and other public officials, even before its implementation.

A transparency and accountability advocate recalled an almost similar situation when the daughter of then Minister of Human Services under the People’s Progressive Party/Civic Administration, Jennifer Webster was forced to resign as a director from Natural Globe Inc, a recycling company that won the bid to develop a plant here, after conflict of interest arguments were raised by Broomes’ party while in Opposition.

 

5 teenagers slapped with murder charge

it was complete mayhem in the compound of the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts when the five teenagers charged with brutally murdering retired University Professor Perry Mars made their entrance.

The teens – two females and three males – hid their faces while being escorted to court under the watchful eyes of nearly a dozen Police Officers.

A number of persons flocked the court compound to get a glimpse of the teenagers.

Meanwhile, Police Officers barred members of the media from standing on the court steps to take photographs and they were also not allowed to enter the courtroom to witness the in-camera proceedings.

The five teens were not required to plead to the indictable charge of murder. The 15-year-old teenage girl involved in the incident was charged as a juvenile, while the others were charged as adults. They were all

The female suspects being escorted by Police Officers

The female suspects being escorted by Police Officers

remanded to prison.

Mars, of Bissessar Avenue, Prashad Nagar, Greater Georgetown, was found bound and beaten in his home about 18:30h on Thursday by his wife. He was rushed to a hospital where he later succumbed.

The alleged teen murderers were all arrested on Friday last as persons in the area identified them as the persons who were seen leaving Mars’ yard with suitcases and bags filled with valuables.

The stolen items were said to have been recovered in the homes of the teens in Sophia and Campbellville.

They are expected to make their next court appearance on June 14.

The male suspects being escorted by Police Officers

The male suspects being escorted by Police Officers

 

BaiShanLin writes UN on vehicles’ seizure

– says APNU/AFC wants to cripple company’s operations in Guyana

– GRA breached agreement between Govts of Guyana and China

following the seizure of two luxury vehicles from BaiShanLin Forest Development Inc last month, principals of the controversial Chinese conglomerate have written the Secretary General of the United Nations (UN) Ban Ki-moon on the matter, stating that the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) has breached the agreement between the Governments of Guyana and China.

On April 5, officials from GRA’s Customs Department seized a Lexus SUV with registration number PRR 2888 and a Nissan mini-van with licence plate PRR 3888, belonging to BaiShanLin. Guyana Times was told that the Chinese logging company allegedly has over $50 million outstanding in duties, which it failed to pay within the

UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon

UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon

stipulated time frame.

However, according to the letter dated May 16, 2016, Attorney C V Satram on behalf of the company complained to the UN that the seizure was in breach of the agreement signed by the two countries in March 2003, noting that “the Government of the Republic of Guyana has commenced operations beginning with the seizure of property and the threatened loss to forfeit the company’s investments and to cripple its business in Guyana”.

The letter, which was seen by this newspaper, was also copied to President David Granger. It outlined that BaiShanLin represents Chinese investments in Guyana and Guyana’s relationship with China is threatened by these events; therefore, it was requested that the UN remind Guyana of its obligations.

“I shall be grateful if action can be taken to remind the Government of Guyana and China of their obligations in this regard. The matter is causing severe losses to the company I represent, but it may extend to create impediments to foreign investment in Guyana to the prejudice of the national interest when it becomes known

Foreign Affairs Minister Carl Greenidge

Foreign Affairs Minister Carl Greenidge

that treaty obligations are not honoured here,” the letter stated.

Moreover, the correspondence further pointed out that in accordance with the agreement, which is on record with the UN as a treaty between China and Guyana, disputes are to be settled after consultations through diplomatic channels. However, in the event of failure to reach a resolution within six months, then the process of arbitration can be adopted.

On this note, the company said it has called on Foreign Affairs Minister Carl Greenidge and the Chinese Ambassador to Guyana Zhang Limin to commence diplomatic consultations with the aim of settling the disputes.

In that letter to Minister Greenidge, the company explained that following the execution of the agreement, BaiShanLin went on to invest enormous sums of money in Guyana and in the development of forest products. However, since the Administration was changed after the May 2015 General Elections, the new Government has embarked upon a course of activities designed to cripple the company’s operations in Guyana, the Attorney stated.

The latest of which, the letter highlighted, was the imposition of tax liabilities on vehicles for which the company was granted duty-free concessions by the previous Government.

“The new Government seeks to dismantle the concessionary structure, and has commenced to seize property (owned by the company)… in pursuance of its tax liability, which the company claims to be unlawful, the Government, through its Revenue Authority, has embarked upon seizures to enforce the tax liability which is denied and is strongly contested,” the correspondence to the Foreign Affairs Minister stated, adding that the investment agreement under which the concessions were granted has not expired.

Moreover, a third letter was dispatched on behalf of the Chinese logging company, this time to the GRA, stating the Authority’s action was in disregard of the international obligations of Guyana under the agreement with China.

“The purported imposition of the liability is unlawful and the imposition of it triggered a dispute between the company and the Government of Guyana,” the letter detailed.

Moreover, Attorney Satram on behalf of the company sought to request that the vehicles be returned within the next week. “On behalf of the company for which I act I hereby call upon you to release and return to the company all property which has been seized from it or has been possessed or confiscated within seven(7)days of the date hereof,” the company’s legal representative stated.

According to BaiShanLin, this is a matter of concern not only to it, but to all investors who wish to undertake investment in Guyana.

Days after the seizure just over a month ago, attempts were made by this newspaper to ascertain GRA’s course of action in recouping the outstanding payments. When asked whether the Authority would be filing criminal charges against the foreign company or would opt to settle the matter beforehand, GRA Chairman Rawle Lucas had stated that no decision had been taken at the time.

However, the latter option might be more feasible, he had noted, since Government wants to maintain its relationship with investors, but at the same time ensure that they operate within the confines of the laws of Guyana.

“Remember, what we are trying to do is to make sure that we can try our best to maintain a reasonable relationship that we expect between the Government and the investors; so one should, therefore, expect prudent actions to be taken in order to deal with the matter,” he previously pointed out.

 

Disgruntled customers express frustration with La Penitence shipping company

A group of unhappy customers on Tuesday turned up at a La Penitence shipping company, demanding that answers be given as to why they are not yet able to uplift their barrels and packages.
The handful of customers, who showed up at the O G Shipping Company, said they have been running to the company for weeks, but have not yet been given an explanation as to why their packages are delayed or receive any of their items.
Marilyn Thomas said she posted a barrel from New York on March 28 and has not been able to clear it to date.
“I am here still and I cannot get my stuff. Every day I am here, and they keep telling me that I have to come back. Every week is the other week. The guy just showed me a paper that says my barrel is here, but the container is not opened as yet. They are not giving me no reason, they are just telling me, just now, just now,” the upset woman told Guyana Times.
She said this is the first time she has done business with the company after it was recommended by her family members abroad. According to her, she will soon have to return to the US again, but is yet to receive her barrel.
“Imagine an old woman was here, she’s been running here too. The woman said her pressure gone up. It’s too much,” Thomas said
Another customer said he has been doing business with the company for sometime now, and is extremely disappointed at the current state of affairs.
“I feeling for the people them because they ship their things and they said months and months because I am a businessman and I deal with principle. I myself have some things that I shipped and up to now… last week they said they would give me the stuff and up to now, nothing. It is ridiculous. I just spoke to the boss man over the phone and he told me that everything is going to be alright. It’s like, people

OG Shipping Company at La Penitence, Georgetown

OG Shipping Company at La Penitence, Georgetown

like when you curse at them, and they’ll get things quickly,” the frustrated businessman said.
Another woman claimed that while she received her barrel, it was observed that several items were missing. She also showed up at the company to make claims.
Guyana Times sought to contact the owner, Orin Galloway, at his New York head office but was unsuccessful; however his son, Quacy Galloway told this publication that there has been a delay in the container. And while that delay has nothing to do with the company, it is not the first time that such a hiccup has occurred. He said the company is seeking to have the issue resolved and customers will be able to receive their belongings the latest today.
As it relates to the woman who has reported missing items, Gallaway said he could not say, since her delivery was “door to door”. He said her barrel was sealed upon delivery.

DC Jammers to tip-off Goodwill tour this weekend

DC Jammers basketball team out of the state of Washington in the United States of America (USA), are set to open their 2016 four game Goodwill tour of Guyana this weekend.
The series which forms part of Guyana’s Independence Jubilee celebrations is set to be played at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall, Georgetown.
The Jammers will take on four of Guyana’s top basketball clubs, with the first game on Saturday evening against Ravens. They will then

Players of the DC Jammers basketball team

Players of the DC Jammers basketball team

oppose a feisty Linden unit; the Retrieve Raiders on May 22 before coming up against Pacesetters on May 24
The four game tour will conclude on May 27 against reigning Road to Mecca Champions; the Colts. The main event games will be preceded by clashes between under-16 teams currently engaged in the National School Basketball Festival that are set to tip-off at 6:30 Hrs on game days.
Fans will be treated to an exciting display of intense and competitive basketball action on the four days. To add depth to the local sides each local team will be allowed three guest players in match against the Jammers.
Washington based ballers; D.C. Jammers first engagement against Guyanese opposition was in July 1988 when they took on Guyana’s National Basketball Team.  The locals at that time led by high flyers Leon Christian and coached by Mike Brushe used the inaugural series as preparation for the 7th Caricom Championship which the land of many waters successfully hosted at the National Sports Hall.  Although the Jammers lost all three matches the experience gained in 1988 would later proved invaluable.
The boys from Washington returned five years later July 1993 and won an international triangular series against Guyana and Suriname thanks to the mastery of new recruits Willie Hodge, Steven Nurse, Heinrod David, Reggie King and Andre Lee.
Dc Jammers’ last appearance in Guyana was in 2012 when they defeated the national team 65-62 in a closely contested encounter.

DC Jammers’ last encounter against Guyanese opposition

DC Jammers’ last encounter against Guyanese opposition

Our local basketball clubs will be hoping to have a different outcome as they seek to impress against a highly skilled Jammers team.
Fly Jamaica Airways and Federal Management Systems Inc. are the main sponsors for the Jammers tour of Guyana. Admission to the games is $1000.

Junior Men’s Team arrive in Toronto for Pan American Championships

The Guyana National Junior Men’s Hockey Team arrived in Toronto, Canada on Monday evening to take part in the Pan American Junior Championships, scheduled for May 20th to 28th. The team settled into their accommodation at the University of Toronto grounds and had a taste of the 6?C temperature on their early morning jog and stretching session on Tuesday, under the guidance of physical trainer Barrington Browne. The team is scheduled to have their first practice session on one of the University’s two artificial turfs, at 3:30pm on Tuesday. The team is also scheduled to play a practice match on Wednesday against a selection of senior Toronto club players, before their final practice session on Thursday, with the tournament scheduled to start on Friday.
Three of the team’s most experienced players, Hilton Chester, Kareem McKenzie and Daniel Hooper will join the team on Thursday evening, after completing some of their CXC and CAPE exams. The team is schedule to take on the tournament’s third seed on Friday at 3:00pm, then Mexico on Saturday at the same time before playing second seed Canada on Monday at 5:30pm. According to head coach Robert Fernandes “We will use these first few days to get the boys comfortable with their surroundings, acclimatized to the conditions and adjusted to playing on the turf. We usually get better as tournaments wear on and we adjust to the faster pace of play that the turf allows. So hopefully by arriving here early and having three sessions on the surface we will be firing on all cylinders by Friday.”
Local fans will be able to stream the matches live on the www.panamhockey.org website.
National Junior Men’s Hockey Team
Mark Sargeant (Cap), Medroy Scotland (GK), Michael Hing (GK), Kareem McKenzie, Keon McKenzie, Daniel Hooper, Shaquille Leung, Meshach Sargeant, Rosario Ramsammy, Aroydy Branford, Andrew Stewart, Leon Bacchus, Jael Gaskin, Omar Hopkinson, Hilton Chester, Ato Greene, Paramanand Dindial, and Nyron Joseph.
Manager – Hubert Forrester
Coaches – Robert Fernandes, Dwayne Alleyne and Marvin Dannett
Physical Trainer – Barrington Browne

President to address Parade Ground Reparations Rally

president David Granger has been confirmed as the main speaker for the Guyana Reparations Commission’s regional youth rally and relay set for Parade ground, Georgetown, on Friday.

Chairman of the Guyana Reparations Commission, Dr Eric Phillips said United States (US) actor Danny Glover, is also expected to attend what is said to be main event of a month-long list of activities for the Caricom International and Regional Youth Reparations Relay and Rally.

According to Dr Phillips, the Caribbean Community (Caricom) Initiative began in Barbados on April 16, when Prime Minister Freundel Stuart, Chairman of the Caricom Heads of State Subcommittee on Reparations launched the event. He said President Granger is a sitting member of that Subcommittee and will deliver

Guyana Reparations Commission Chairman, Dr Eric Phillips

Guyana Reparations Commission Chairman, Dr Eric Phillips

remarks here.

A reparations Baton – made in Barbados of mahogany wood – was passed on to Guyana at the event by Chairman of Barbados’ Task Force on Reparations, Professor Pedro Welch, to acting Consul General of Guyana to Barbados, Monique Jackman. It arrived in Guyana on April 19, 2016.

Dr Phillips said the Caricom Relay and Rally is part of a wider effort to spread the reparations message around the Caribbean, through public education and other initiatives focused on youth.

The May 20 event is part of a large number of activities all across Guyana.

The Reparations Commission Chairman said Friday is the next major activity at Parade ground beginning at 16:00h, with young runners leaving with the Baton at Stabroek where slaves were undocked through several historical stops, including Parliament Building, Cuffy Square, the Sea Walls, then to the Parade ground for the 18:00h programme.

Following the Parade ground event, villages on the East Coast and West Coast of Demerara will stage their own activities. The calendar is as follows:

the baton will be sent to the next Caricom country after Guyana’s activities are over in May and will tour all 15 Caricom reparation countries this year.

Guyana has produced three replicas of the baton, in beautiful mahogany; one for each of the three original counties of Essequibo, Demerara and Berbice.

Magnificently carved from fine Barbados mahogany wood, the original baton is a symbol of justice – engraved on it is a map of Africa and the words “Reparations Now,” representing the 15 Caricom countries. The relay will culminate in Jamaica later this year where the Emancipation Rebellion, led by Sam Sharpe, will be remembered and celebrated.

Guyana, like the other Caribbean countries, remains steadfast in its calls for Britain to make its due payment to the descendants of those who suffered in the massive slave trade which spread between the 16th and 19th centuries.

Earlier this month, the Caribbean Diaspora was called upon to support Caricom’s calls for the UK to pay reparations as compensation for its involvement in slavery and the slave trade.

 

Breach to be sealed soon

Mahaicony backlands flooding

By Shemuel Fanfair

After weeks of flooding, farmers and residents in the backlands of Mahaicony, East Coast Demerara, are slated to get relief as

Pumping floodwaters out of the farmlands

Pumping floodwaters out of the farmlands

rehabilitation works on a breached dam in Strath Campbell along the Perth Canal are expected to commence shortly.
This comes in light of a report recently carried in Guyana Times which highlighted that hundreds of acres of farmlands were flooded via the unrepaired breach during high tide.
Information reaching this publication indicated that the Mahaica/Mahaicony/Abary Agricultural Developmental Authority (MMA-ADA) has secured equipment and will visit the area to begin rehabilitation by Thursday.
MMA-ADA General Manager Aubrey Charles, when contacted on Tuesday, confirmed this and further explained that some months after the said dam was constructed, it settled and its height was as a consequence decreased.
“After the settlement, the height of the dam was below the designed level,” Charles explained.

Aubrey Charles

Aubrey Charles

The General Manager also said that the recent spring tide overflow caused soil erosion which facilitated the widening of breaches which were responsible for the heavy levels of flooding.
“We also learnt that not too far from there, another section of the dam has eroded, so it’s two portions of the dam eroded,” Charles stated.
According to the official, he visited the area some three weeks ago, but because of the “soft” terrain of the area, it is difficult to transport machines to rectify the problem. To this end, Charles pointed out that he could not give a specific date for when the works would be completed.
One farmer with knowledge of the dam had told Guyana Times that indeed the current conditions would hinder the completion of the rehabilitation works. As the breached sections of the Perth Canal are currently unrepaired, farmers in the Branch Road Mahaicony backlands are still battling flooding even though the high tide has decreased.
Farmers, who are still flooded, related that they were suffering as the dam now needed some amount of dry weather to be repaired. They expressed their frustration over the fact that the recent El Niño period was the ideal time to have done the repairs, but nothing was done to assist them. Now that the rainy season has started, they lamented the fact that they have to suffer losses.
They stand to lose hundreds of acres and millions of dollars. To prevent a complete destruction of the rice crop, the farmers have the costly undertaking of pumping water from the fields every time the tide goes out.
Meanwhile, while the floodwaters at Company Dam, New Providence have receded, residents fear that the next spring tide will again cause major flooding, which would destroy their plants and threaten the safety of the children who use outside toilets and traverse the area to get to and from school.

Clueless on the path for destruction of rice and sugar

Is it a deliberate effort to kill rice and sugar because the A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) sees these industries as People’s Progressive Party (PPP) strongholds? Or is it that APNU/AFC is clueless? They are clueless about rice and sugar, but they will not shed a tear if both rice and sugar die sooner than later. Oil will not save Guyana, although oil will be a boon together with rice and sugar. Just look at Nigeria, Venezuela, Suriname and Trinidad and Tobago. They all have oil, but oil is not saving them. APNU/AFC is dead wrong that Guyana can do well without rice and sugar.
The PPP called for a resumption of talks with Venezuela for a new contract under the PetroCaribe arrangement where Guyana buys oil from Venezuela and sells rice to them. Maybe such talks could prove useless, but what is there to lose? In fact, there is much to gain. The Agriculture Minister dismissed this idea totally. But then days later, President David Granger announced that Guyana is still pursuing a rice deal with Venezuela. What is going on? Does the proverbial right hand know what the left is doing? Talk about clueless!
Having lost the Venezuelan market, the Government has done nothing to re-establish that lucrative market, nor has it pursued other markets. We heard of the Mexican market, with a lot of huffing and puffing and beating of chests by Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo, but has anyone noticed how quiet he is about the so-called breakthrough with the Mexican rice market? Incidentally, we were very active in pursuing a market in Mexico too, but realised that because of The North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and high tariffs, Guyana would not find a very profitable market in Mexico.
We were already advance in talks with other Central American countries and was already sending rice and paddy to Belize, Guatemala and Nicaragua and were talking to Costa Rica and African countries. These efforts were stalled after May 2015 and APNU/AFC essentially took another approach, announcing that it is not the Government’s responsibility to look for markets, but rather it was the responsibility of the millers. The PPP Government had actively sought new markets and helped consolidate the traditional markets. We encouraged and facilitated joint and independent efforts by millers and other stakeholders.
The PPP had also called for APNU/AFC to create certain other incentives for rice, such as improving duty-free and subsidised access to equipment and supplies, such as fertilisers and paddy seeds. Not only did APNU/AFC rejected this proposal, but they had previously removed the waiver on Value Added Tax that the rice industry enjoyed before. The PPP had also called on APNU/AFC to hold discussions with banks to re-negotiate loans and for the Government to waive drainage and irrigation and lease payments for rice farmers. All of these were rejected by APNU/AFC.
Clearly, APNU/AFC has no interest in supporting the rice industry. We see further evidence in the fields. Farmers have received no support to drain and irrigate their lands. These were taken for granted when the PPP was in office. Today, farmers have been left on their own to battle the everyday challenges. Take for example the farmers in Mahaicony who were flooded because a Government-neglected dam broke and there was no one there to give support.
These signals from APNU/AFC reflect both a clueless Government and one that cares very little if rice and sugar survives. It is possible that for the first time after about 10 crops, rice production will be under 300,000 tons for the first crop for 2016. After reaching 500,000 tons in 2013 and 600,000 tons in 2014, we failed to reach the 700,000 tons in 2015 and we appear to be slipping below the 600,000 tons for 2016. Clearly, rice is on a downward trend even after just one year of APNU/AFC.
But the downward trend is across the board for agriculture. Sugar for example fell about 30 per cent below the target for the first crop of 2016. They have become secretive because they know that production overall have fallen dramatically across the board in agriculture. Incidentally, they have gone silent on Skeldon which produced just about 5000 tons of sugar in the first crop.
While agriculture and, in particular, rice and sugar, are now on a downward trend, APNU/AFC is both clueless and uncaring about the very industries that are the pillars of the economic potential of Guyana. As APNU/AFC consume themselves in the Jubilee, the pillars of the Guyanese economy are left abandoned in uncertain and turbulent waters. Sooner or later, APNU/AFC will realise it is too late to stop another period of relentless economic destruction and increasing poverty in our beautiful Guyana. (Send comments to [email protected])

Rice doing better – Agriculture Minister

…as farmers face rising production costs

Despite the mounting challenges many in rice industry continue to face, Agriculture Minister Noel Holder is maintaining that rice is doing “much better” than it was a year ago.
Speaking with the Government Information Agency (GINA), Minister Holder noted the challenges of heavy rainfall.
“We had the tremendous rainfall and the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA) was able to bring relief, tremendous relief to the coastland …. I think in Region Two [Pomeroon-Supenaam] and Region Six [East Berbice-Corentyne] and this brought tremendous relief flood-wise. Rainfall is on right now, as you know and flooding is not occurring… during El Niño… the NDIA was able to bring water by tapping creeks further upstream to give farmers relief on the coast. So of the areas planted, only about four per cent (of the rice crop) was lost due to (the) El Niño situation,” the Minister pointed out.
According to Holder, for the first rice crop of 2016, some 91,072 hectares of rice was planted. At the end of March, 93,582 tonnes had been exported which is “six per cent more” than the corresponding period for 2015, which was 88,286 tonnes.
The Minister explained that despite Guyana losing the PetroCaribe market it had with Venezuela, shortly after the coalition Government took office in May 2015, rice is in a much better situation as it relates to markets. He said Government has been exploring and establishing new markets and has been able to increase the market share for Guyana’s rice, “at prices above world market prices so the rice industry is not really in that much crisis as people try to say”.
Amid calls by the Opposition People’s Progressive Party/Civic for Guyana to re-enter the Venezuelan rice market, the Minister said,

President David Granger is open to negotiations with Venezuela on the establishment of a new rice deal

President David Granger is open to negotiations with Venezuela on the establishment of a new rice deal

Agriculture Minister Noel Holder

Agriculture Minister Noel Holder

“Guyana has met all the shipments to Venezuela, but Venezuela will not, bearing in mind the price of rice and oil prices now hovering around US$30 a barrel or slightly above, enter into a similar agreement.”
However, President David Granger had outlined in his weekly televised “Public Interest” programme that his Government could look at reopening the rice deal with its Spanish-speaking South American neighbour, if negotiations go well with his Ambassador, Foreign Affairs and Finance Ministers. These fresh statements were a contradiction to earlier claims as posited by the Agriculture Minister.
“I did meet with the Ambassador before she left for her post and I did say that we are interested in that market. It came to an end. The agreement came to an end and we need a new agreement. Both the Foreign Minister and Finance Minister are working at that, but we are also examining new markets in Latin America, including Panama and Costa Rica and Mexico. That is a clear objective and mandate given to Ambassadors,” the President noted.
Holder also noted the recent Panama agreement for the purchase of 11,000 tonnes of rice. It was also noted that Guyana signed agreements with two Jamaican companies to purchase 80,000 tonnes of the country’s rice per annum. The companies have agreed to pay the Guyanese millers US$400 per tonne.
However, parts of the Jamaica rice contract were lambasted with the expressed view that the deal was void of rationale, since the cheapest rice rates in Jamaica comes from the United States market which sells at US $550 per tonne.
The Rice Producers Association (RPA) Action Committee Co-Chairman, Dr Turhane Doerga told Guyana Times in March that based on his assessment of the contract, if anyone else wanted to sell in Jamaica, they would have to sell at a minimum 1500 metric tonnes at US$475.
“The US$75 per metric tonne is what the boys will be splitting among each other,” he had alleged.
Many rice farmers have been complaining that $1800-$2000 per bag of paddy cannot pay because of rising maintenance costs, being owed by millers and hefty loan repayments. Farmers are also calling on Government to provide subsidies on fertilisers.
Opposition Member of Parliament Irfaan Ali has called for a return of the subsidy on milling equipment which can also reduce rice production costs, thus easing some of the burdens in the rice industry.