PARAMARIBO – The Belangengroep Padieboeren Nickerie, the organization that speaks on behalf of the rice farmers from the Nickerie District, has made it clear that President Chandrikapersad Santokhi must write down all of the promises that he makes during their meetings.

The rice farmers also made it clear that they no longer believe in oral promises because they weren’t kept. President Santokhi had promised the rice farmers that they would receive payment within a week because the paperwork needed to be taken care of. But after the rice farmers had handed in their papers, they were told that a presidential team would conduct an investigation first. At a second meeting with the Surinamese head of state, the farmers were told that they would receive payment in October because the Finance minister still has to take care of certain things. The rice farmers feel like that they have been deceived and they are convinced that the Santokhi administration is stalling. They therefore want the president to put all of his promises in black and white. Ashwin Jagmohansingh, spokesman of the Belangengroep Padieboeren Nickerie, pointed out that their calls to the president and the Finance minister remain unanswered as nobody picks up the phone. President Santokhi announced that SRD 7 million has been put aside for the rice farmers who suffered huge financial losses during the previous harvest…[+]