Gov’t being “very stupid” in its response to rice, sugar woes – Teixeira
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Opposition Parliamentarian and Chief Whip, Gail Teixeira has criticized the APNU+AFC government for its handling of the grim situation facing the sugar and rice industries in Guyana.
She told a news conference on Wednesday, November 04, 2015 that the government is treating the woes of the two industries in a discriminatory manner, knowing that it is the support base of the People’s Progressive Party (PPP).
“Why is the government addressing the problems of sugar and rice in such a discriminatory manner? If I was in government, the issue of what is confronting the sugar industry and the rice industry would have been handled completely differently because even if there was an APNU +AFC government and knowing that rice and sugar, the majority of the persons are PPP supporters, why would you treat with those sectors and those people in such a disgraceful manner…which just doesn’t count?” Teixeira said.
She refuted claims that the PPP is using the rice and sugar industries as a political tool, pointing out that the APNU+AFC government is being “politically stupid” with the way in which the situation is being dealt with.
“The political behavior of the Opposition is not a question of whether we’re causing trouble…the issue of rice and sugar, they have exacerbated the situation…politically they are being very stupid,” the PPP Parliamentarian said.
Meanwhile, also at the press conference was General Secretary of the Rice Producers Association and PPP Parliamentarian, Dharamkumar Seeraj, who rebuffed reports by Agriculture Minister, Noel Holder that several countries are lining up to purchase rice from Guyana.
He said if this is true, then farmers should not be complaining, while pointing out that any such lines would be for “cheap rice” since he believes that Guyana is now selling its rice cheaply on the international market.