Dear Editor,
The Guyana Agriculture Producers Association (GAPA) and other crop farmers take umbrage at the comments and insinuations of Dr Kenrick Hunte’s letter (‘Guyana should re-establish an agricultural development bank’ SN, December 14) and the Kaieteur News’ Peeping Tom column. The other crop farmers in this country are hard working and ingenious in their endeavours to provide affordable food to those like Dr Hunte and Peeping Tom.
Farmers have expressed their disgust at some of the comments made regarding the sector, but will not be deterred in their efforts to maintain Guyana’s food security.
The critics seem to have forgotten the reasons for the launching of the ‘Grow More Food’ campaign, which was an initiative and proactive measure to combat the global food and financial crisis. Today, Guyana is unaffected by the global food crisis, testimony to the continuous increase in production and resilience of our land tillers, the farmers.
The Guyana Agriculture Producers Association with support from the Ministry of Agriculture has been working continuously with farmers across this country to provide training, technical assistance, planting materials and other support to encourage farmers to produce more for our sustenance and to benefit from the opportunities derived from the global food crisis through exports.
Peeping Tom and the other critics are grossly underestimating the strength of our farmers and the agriculture sector. Peeping Tom alluded to the lack of manpower, which is just a figment of his imagination as GAPA and other agencies within the Ministry of Agriculture have been mobilizing and working in farming communities and there has been a marked difference. However, Peeping Tom like Dr Hunte, chose not to recognize the improvements within the sector. Hence, we would be willing to accommodate them during our visits to farming communities to have a first-hand assessment; seeing is believing.
Further, the ‘Grow More Food’ campaign is a continuous initiative to give farmers the necessary boost and support for continued cultivation and expansion. I challenge the critics to investigate the amount of new lands that have been brought under cultivation, accompanied by the necessary infrastructure development and services.
Global agriculture is facing many challenges and GAPA is committed to working with other crop farmers and interested stakeholders to persevere and deliver wholesome and affordable food to the Guyanese public and further afield.
Yours faithfully,
Nandlall Steve Mangal
National Coordinator
Guyana Agricultural
Producers’ Association (GAPA)
“Grow More Food” campaign. Was this not the brain child of the Late LFS Burnham. After all, he was not that bad. Bis. Over to you.
“…….maintain Guyana’s food security” -Mangal
Now Mr. Mangal uses the term. I figured it right guys.”Food Security” is propagandist speech. Mangal was also kind enough to give me further insight into what the term means; it is the objective of the “grow more food” campaign.
Blogging yesterday, I implied that FOOD SECURITY surely does sound like the first element of Burnham’s much criticized policy of “Feed, Clothes and House the nation”, the PPP of course leading the criticism. Am I the only one who is observing that what is old is new again in Guyana? Usually when things come full circle it means your idea bank is bankrupt so I hope this is not the case with the government. I wish the political people can tell me what is happening there for politics is not easily understood by me, especially Guyana’s politics.
Speed up the house lots distribution process and we will soon have HOUSING SECURITY. Restart the cotton mill then we will have CLOTHING SECURITY. It’s the 1970’s guys and yours truly was probably an infant or not yet born, depending on the year this policy started. Burnham was just digging-in in the 1970’s, maybe the PPP on a similar path; I don’t know.
Cummins.It’s called squaring the circle.
Take um bridge all you want but th facts remain undisputed.
Sigh!!! What was a interesting discourse between intelligentsia; said discourse is now commandeered by the political apologists.
Point taken!! This is sad! We still cannot get out of the ‘Burnham-Jagan, PPP-PNC’ syndrome! The quality of the mud-slinging leaves a big ? as to what has Guyana produced?
Yes , Mr.Mangal you said that the GAPA with the help of the MoA has been working continuously with the farmers across the country…….to encourage farmers to produce more for our sustanance and to benefit from the oportunities derived from the global food crisis through export .But what you have not given us is the actual figures showing the increase in export from the previous years .This my friend is what Dr. Hunte did provide the readers with.It would be very impressive if you can provide the readers your figrues to back your claim that farmers did produce more and benefit from the global food crisis by exporting more. I know that the New Guyana Marketing Corporation can substantiate your claim and give our readers the actual increase in export.
Why can’t Robert Persaud and his support band provide some data on production/domestic consumption/exports for agricultural crops over several years.
Too busy with LCDS or the report is not at all ‘productive’. Pull a card!
Ow doc ow you really expect that Rawberties is going to provide that kind of data?
REally? the umbrella chap he got holding that red umbrella is working on the report right now under the tutelage might I add of no other than Sam Hinds Mr. I am working on the broadcast legislation for 18 years now.
Why should Robert Persaud and his support band provide data on production/domestic consumption/exports for agricultural crops over several years? No one in Guyana is clamoring for this information. Guyana will be better off if the minister spend his time on producing food and not waste time on statistics. Find some other nit to pick on. I am sure you will come up with something else soon.
Gundadin,
Statistics are very important for planning, setting and meeting objectives, and running a country. It helps us to understanding when we are muddling through and when we are on target. We can know when we are meeting benchmarks. We can then take alternative positions if benchmarks are not realized. We need detailed statistics to determine whether we are moving forward or backward. Many developing countries rely on data to guide policy actions and outcomes. Of course, the advanced economies have mastered that a long time ago. Surely a senior government and party personality as yourself knows that.
Tkhemraj,
I take no issue with you on the importance of statistical data in the management and governance of a country. But you will agree that governments do not routinely provide all their statistical data in the public media. I am sure you can get the information you seek if you request it via the appropriate channels. You will agree that publishing the information you seek in the daily newspapers and spending the rest of the month defending the information from the axe grinders, nit pickers, and chronically biased is a colossal waste of time and an exercise in futility. Perhaps you can ask the PNC and AFC to help you procure the statistics you desperately need to determine the state of affairs in Guyana.
I am not nor have I ever been a government and party personality. I lack the intellect, charm, grace, and political savvy. I know my limits and capabilities. I enjoyed planning my cassava, plantains, pineapples, eddoes, yams, and sugar cane.
I leave the smart stuff to you and the rest of the brainy characters.
Maybe Gungadin can provide some more insight into all the fantastic work that good Rawberties has done and also tell us why the tax payer is funding Rawberties to live in Hermandston annexe at a cost of 3K USD per month.
Gungadin,
It is good to see you see the importance of statistics as sister Caricom countries are very good at producing them. Why must the PPP, PNC, AFC help me to get data when government agencies are there to produce them? Providing data is never a waste of time. If you are confident you are running the country well then don’t have any fear…furnish the numbers. If you are doing the right things then you should have no problem defending your position.
How do we measure progress or the lack thereof Gungadin?
Well I know the PPP does a fantastic job with their propaganda numbers that is how come they justify saddling the tax payer with the cost of chranicle which is a complete failure, nevermind HEN C HEN.
Tkhemraj,
I am sure the good minister with the MBA generates oodles and oodles of statistics. I am confident that you can get most if not all the information they produce for Guyanese consumption if you make a few visits to the relevant agency. There is no need for the GOG to satisfy your information needs. They do provide a ton of information to the World Bank, the IMF, the NGOs, and the Parliament. Get yourself connected and you will get what you are searching for. Do the legwork. They will not serve it to you in the letter columns of Stabroek News.
Rawberties could barely provide Kaieteir news for a tour of all the progress he was making all over the place you think he can provide oodles and oodles of stats?
I doubt it.
This is the same chap who was tasked with managing the drainage situation in the country the farmers told him the MMA rivers were silted up and he slept on it only to later watch all their crops float down the rivers.