As rice farmers seek to collect the more than $400M owed to them for their 2010 first crop of paddy by the Mahaicony Rice Limited (MRL), efforts to locate the General Manager, Taramattie Ghanie have been frustrated by the inaction of the police.
Minister of Agriculture, Robert Persaud expressed his displeasure with the seeming inaction of the Guyana Police Force and the unhelpful position taken by the magistracy in the Court matter involving the rice company.
He stated that the Rice Factories Act No. 8 of 1998 provides for the retrieval of MRL’s records for review and as a result the cooperation of the company’s senior executive officers is integral to this objective.
Recently the Director of Public Prosecution advised that MRL’s accountant, Ishwar Singh, be charged for refusing an individual, identified by the Guyana Rice Development Board (GRDB) permission to inspect the books of the company.
Minister Persaud stated that inexplicably the presiding magistrate denied the application by the police for an arrest warrant to be issued to ensure that Singh attend court.
The Ministry is reminding the Police Force, as the enforcement agency, and the Magistracy, as the adjudicating agency, that in matters related to the public interest greater attention, urgency and commitment must be employed.
The Minister said that whilst the independence of the judiciary is recognised, they should also think about the 400 farmers who are owed for their paddy.
