What Do Discussions Mean for Local Rice Producers?

Eamon Courtenay

Attorney Eamon Courtenay, who represents the Mennonite communities of Shipyard, Blue Creek and Spanish Lookout, has been following the situation closely.  He explains the effects the proposed agreement would have on the rice producers.

Eamon Courtenay, Attorney for Mennonite Community

“The impression I have is that what Guyana and Belize are doing at the level of the two countries is to say that if Belize has a shortfall in the production of rice, that Guyana will make rice available to Belize.  If that is the terms of the agreement, and I have only seen what has been in the media, if that is the terms of the agreement then that is a very big advance in so far as my clients are concerned because what it is saying is that a policy decision has been taken by the government that, first of all, they are going to promote the domestic production and where domestic production falls short they have already secured a supply from Guyana which they would use to supplement the local production.  Implicit in that, and I stress, implicit in that is that the market will be managed and that the idea that any individual can decide that he or she is going to come in with very low priced rice and distort the market will not be entertained by the government.  That is my reading and I want to stress that I have not seen the terms of the agreement.”