PARAMARIBO, Suriname, CMC—The Nickerie Paddie Growers Interest Group (NPGIG) on Monday presented a letter to President Chandrikapersad Santokhi calling for a probe into what they allege to have been fraudulent acts committed by the staff at the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries (LVV).
They said that irregularities have been discovered in the registration and entry of data in the sown areas of paddy and that the line minister must immediately file a complaint against his staff and personnel.
In addition, the farmers say they will also collectively file a complaint against the LVV and ask the Attorney General to start an investigation.
In their letter, which was handed over to the District Commissioner, Senrita Gobardhan, the farmers gave the head of state until later on Monday to respond.
On August 5, President Santokhi established a working group during a meeting with the farmers after they discovered several fraudulent actions were being committed within the LVV.
The farmers, who were promised a compensation package of SRD70 million (one SRD = US$0.03 cents), said in their letter that the fraudulent acts were committed in the registration lists, which included double registrations of plots, plots not sown being registered as having been sown, and plots where livestock farming and horticulture are practiced being registered as having been sown.
They said false registrations had also been made in the names of LVV employees and that fertilizer had been distributed to people who were not entitled to it.
The farmers want the SRD 70 million compensation to be paid out immediately.
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