All-round benefits for Guyanese in T&T 10,000-acre land allocation – Ramsammy

By Zena Henry, September 11, 2013, By KNews, Filed Under News, Source

“Guyanese can breathe easy,”Agriculture Minister Leslie Ramsammy indicated as he ensured that the country stands to benefit all-round in the initiative to allocate some 10,000 acres of newly identified state land to neighbouring Trinidad and Tobago for cultivation purposes.

The assertions were made in an interview Monday, on the heels of revelations by Trinidadian media that their government had secured the production factor to aid with food security in the gas and oil-producing nation.

File photo: Trinidad and Tobago Food Production Minister Devant Maharaj (centre) standing next to President Donald Ramotar with Guyana and Trinidad officials during food security talks last year.

Antennas are already being raised locally as to the procedures of the land’s acquisition and the benefits of this new initiative to the Guyanese people. While some parties seem oblivious to this project, Minister Ramsammy reminded that the proposal was on the table for some time; being part of former president Bharrat Jagdeo’s initiative in 2010.

He pointed out that Trinidad and Tobago’s Food Production Minister Devant Maharaj was instrumental in the initiative when he met with members of the government last year to draft details of the project. Maharaj, it was noted, paid interest in food security, cooperation and land for Trinidadian farmers.

Minister Ramsammy said that three technical teams from Trinidad visited Guyana on the prospects of rice, aquaculture and livestock farming. This, he said, led to the recent signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between Guyana and officials of the twin island republic.

He added that no land has so far been identified for the Trinidad plan, and stressed that local farmers will not be affected by the initiative. He said that new land is being sought, but a definite location will depend on Trinidadian officials’ choice of farming.

“Once they have decided what they want to do among their own technical team — having visited and putting a plan together — we will then know where land is suitable for what they want to do,” the Minister said.

He reiterated that the Trinidadians have expressed interest in growing rice and corn and getting involved in aquaculture, so it is for local officials to decide whether it is 10,000 acres of land to be given in one location or to be split up among different locations.

As it relates to guidelines, the Agriculture Minister said “the Trinidadians will lease land under the same conditions as Guyanese.” He added that Trinidad will be buying from Guyana even though it will be owned by Trinidadian farmers.

“It is Guyanese produce grown in Guyana for export. So it will be new land that is developed and that means some development in building infrastructure, which is what the Trinidad government is also involved in.”

While the Guyanese government appears comfortable with the joint venture, Trinidadian stakeholders are not keen on the initiative, which they say they were not privy to by their government.  It was noted over the weekend that Trinidadian Finance Minister Larry Howai was slated to announce Monday, during that country’s national budget the plans made with Guyana for a new facility to improve on food production.

They noted that the 10,000 acres of land provided by Guyana can grow to some 100,000 acres. Trinidadian agriculture stakeholders say however that, “there was more than 10,000 acres of fertile agricultural land in T&T,” so the Guyana initiative was not necessary.

The Trinidadian Guardian reported on Monday that several concerned groups voiced their opinions, with president of the T&T United Farmers Association calling on the Trinidadian government to name the procedure for the land’s acquisition and the farmers proposed to benefit from the Guyana project.

Further concerns were raised in Trinidad over the cost that will amount to planting in Guyana. It was suggested that some $50,000 TT would be needed to develop one acre of Guyanese land.

The associations and unions have stated that they were not consulted over the issue. It is however expected that investors would be able to apply to the Trinidadian Ministry of Food Production for a permit to farm in Guyana.