By Tracey Khan – Drakes
![AFC Executive Members, Beverly Alert, Moses Nagamootoo and Councilor, Naith Ram. [iNews' Photo]](https://i0.wp.com/www.inewsguyana.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/AFC-.jpg)
Only recently, a peaceful protest by farmers in Essequibo turned violent for payment from rice millers, with several police officers being assaulted and some 19 rice farmers charged and their equipment ceased.
Alliance For Change (AFC) Councilor in Essequibo, Naith Ram said this is causing an excess and the farmers fear the present crop is heading towards a disaster.
“Over 115,000 tons of paddy still remains in the system which will be brought forward into the new crop. This raises the question of supply and demand the price for paddy in the new crop is in trouble; it will affect thousands of rice farmers and their family in the region.
The farmers’ concerns remain the same and includes untimely payments, interest on money owed to them by millers, poor drainage, enforcement of the grading system and the most recent challenge – post dated checks.
Ram also expressed concerns about the post dated cheques that were issued to farmers after their protest action and explained that they can only cash the cheques until the end of August. This trend, he said has been a tactic of the Government.
The farmers are again demanding government’s help for full payment of their produce and guarantee markets and fair prices. The AFC councilor also rejected claims by the Government that farmers were drunk on the day of the protest. He also vehemently denied stripping himself and blamed law enforcement officers for this.
Ram walked with the clothes he was wearing that day and showed how it was ripped and blood stains were all over.
The farmers, after protesting were paid two days later. Another farmer for the past 30 years, Bridgelall said farmers who were main supporters of the People’s Progressive Party Civic saw the government’s true colors at the recent protest action after they were treated like criminals.
The farmers maintained that protesting was their only option for results since on many occasions they sought to meet with the relevant authorities and were only given promises with no results. Four framers today joined the AFC at its weekly press conference and expressed their sentiments.
Mr Ram, please show some restraint, the public is viewing your nonsense. You could have pull the very same underwear up when you had the chance.
If you Sir will represent the AFC, I hope your foolish display here to not spook the flowers away.I do feel sorry for the people you are representing.
dem copying from pnc . afc tell dem do anything they like no ppp cant touch them . they forget they are afc and not pnc
everybody lie pon de innocent ppp – yuh tink awee nah notice??
Funny they had a pic of him standing naked but none with the police stripping him? Since when burning up the road is peaceful?
you mean to say all those hundreds of people there and no one had a cell phone to video police stripping this dumfounded liar liar sharts on fire..get the video and blow ppp out de wata if not take it the big man you are whats coming to you.you will give away your rear to score political points.