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FM
Former Member

US open to rice trade with Guyana – Hunt

ChargÉ d’Affaires of the United States Embassy in Guyana Bryan Hunte said the rice sector in the United States (US) is most “certainly opened to Guyanese rice exporters , and that the Embassy would be willing to facilitate in the process, should anyone become interested.

Guyanese rice farmers and millers alike have already begun expressing grave concerns over the future of the rice sector here, as bouts of uncertainty continue to hang over the largest market for rice and paddy – Venezuela. The oil rich nation, had accounted for around 60 per cent of total exports in 2010.

The concerns escalated last week when Finance Minister Winston Jordan, upon his return from Venezuela after holding talks with officials there, told Guyana Times that the country would not be renewing the rice deal contract it has with Guyana, which is embedded in the PetroCaribe deal. This year’s contract comes to an end in November.

Millers had begun urging Government to see how best it could address the situation, as thousands of farmers were bound to lose out if things did not work out in their favour. Government however, on Monday reported that there was no problem with the deal, and that it would be continuing as scheduled.

Critics have said that Venezuela’s move to discontinue the deal after the November deadline is nothing more than a political move by the South American nation, which has been claiming ownership of Guyana’s territorial boundary. Venezuela continues to lay claim to part of the Stabroek block; an area where it was recently discovered has oil. The US-based exploration company ExxonMobil, which has been drilling since March of this year, made the discovery.

Guyana’s stance on the issue, which was settled some 116 years ago through an arbitral award, was taken to a forum which saw the attendance of Caribbean Heads of Government earlier this month. The Regional heads committed their support to Guyana.

While uncertainty looms for the rice sector here, the US ChargÉ d’Affaires said the rice industry in his home country is available to rice exporters here.

“The Embassy is more than willing to assist them in making business contact with the United States and to understand our sanitary and phytosanitary regulations for such exports”, he told journalists at a recent function.

He said for the United States, the purchase of rice is a Private Sector matter, “so it will be Private Sector US importers who would conclude deals with Guyanese exporters in order to send rice to the United States, but we are more than happy to facilitate contact for anyone who may be interested in that”, he assured.

Earlier this year, when the Venezuela/Guyana controversy again started to brew, Hunt had said that the US was standing ready to support the Government of Guyana on the position it has taken against the Venezuelan Government, over its move to stop the US oil company from carrying out its exploratory work. He had said too that the US has taken a negative stance of any attempt by any Government that would seek to disrupt the work of the oil company.

Meanwhile, according to the Washington Post, Venezuelan President NicolÁs Maduro is facing a staggering array of problems. It said with Venezuelan crude down to about US$50 a barrel, Maduro’s Government has been devouring its foreign currency reserves and plunging deeper into debt, though not fast enough to keep supermarkets stocked. Annual inflation is the highest in the world, and the country’s largest bank note, 100 “Strong Bolivars,” is now worth just 17 US cents on the black market. The country may soon run low on beer.

The newspaper said “It might come as something of a surprise, then, to see that the Venezuelan President’s most pressing concern in recent days is not a shortage of milk, surgical supplies or contraceptives. It is a vigorous and noisy campaign to take control of a large swath of South American savannah and jungle, known as the Essequibo that belongs to neighbouring Guyana.

For the past several days, Maduro has been assuring Venezuelans, many of whom are busy queuing up for groceries and basic goods, that his Government is working to achieve a “great victory” and take control of the disputed Essequibo, an area equal to two-thirds of Guyanese territory”, the article said.

Possession of the Essequibo – named for the big jungle river flowing through it – was granted to Guyana, then a British colony, by an arbitration judge in 1899. Venezuela challenged the ruling as unfair in 1962, and the dispute has been quietly simmering ever since.

“We are going to take back what our grandparents left for us,” Maduro told his country last week. He asked UN General Secretary Ban Ki-moon to provide a new round of international arbitration, while promising “a great victory” over Guyana “by peaceful means.”

Maduro has assigned a retired Army Colonel Pompeyo Torrealba, to lead a newly formed Government agency, the “Essequibo Rescue Office,” whose plans include issuing 200,000 Venezuelan identification cards to the Guyanese living in the area.

Replies sorted oldest to newest

All the years past the US did not see it fit to open their Market for Rice.  Make you wonder!!!  A RIG Election???  Massa in charge???   Fools giving Guyana away to Foreigners????

Nehru
Originally Posted by Nehru:

All the years past the US did not see it fit to open their Market for Rice.  Make you wonder!!!  A RIG Election???  Massa in charge???   Fools giving Guyana away to Foreigners????

PPP cocaine smugglers were planning to use rice shipments to bring drugs into the US.

Mr.T
Originally Posted by Nehru:

All the years past the US did not see it fit to open their Market for Rice.  Make you wonder!!!  A RIG Election???  Massa in charge???   Fools giving Guyana away to Foreigners????

 

I always enjoy the rants of the anti-American immigrant ranting against America from the safety of his American home and his American job and his American bank account.

 

It's cute.

FM
Originally Posted by Shaitaan:
Originally Posted by Nehru:

All the years past the US did not see it fit to open their Market for Rice.  Make you wonder!!!  A RIG Election???  Massa in charge???   Fools giving Guyana away to Foreigners????

 

I always enjoy the rants of the anti-American immigrant ranting against America from the safety of his American home and his American job and his American bank account.

 

It's cute.

IT IS CALLED FREEDOM OF SPEECH DUMMY!!!!

Nehru

The U.S. got plenty of rice from India and China, but they want to facilitate Guyana to show Venezuela that they can buy our rice if they don't want it. This love is killing me. 

FM
Originally Posted by Cobra:

The U.S. got plenty of rice from India and China, but they want to facilitate Guyana to show Venezuela that they can buy our rice if they don't want it. This love is killing me. 

 

Look Antiman,

 

Don't you think its a good idea to reduce our dependency on the goodwill of an enemy state who claims 2/3 of our territory and align ourselves with the most powerful country in this Hemisphere and the world at large?

 

Are you that schupid bai?

FM
Originally Posted by Shaitaan:
Originally Posted by Cobra:

The U.S. got plenty of rice from India and China, but they want to facilitate Guyana to show Venezuela that they can buy our rice if they don't want it. This love is killing me. 

 

Look Antiman,

 

Don't you think its a good idea to reduce our dependency on the goodwill of an enemy state who claims 2/3 of our territory and align ourselves with the most powerful country in this Hemisphere and the world at large?

 

Are you that schupid bai?

Cobra would sell his soul to the devil and his wife into slavery, as long as Guyana starve under the Coalition government.

Mr.T
Originally Posted by Nehru:
Originally Posted by Shaitaan:
Originally Posted by Nehru:

All the years past the US did not see it fit to open their Market for Rice.  Make you wonder!!!  A RIG Election???  Massa in charge???   Fools giving Guyana away to Foreigners????

 

I always enjoy the rants of the anti-American immigrant ranting against America from the safety of his American home and his American job and his American bank account.

 

It's cute.

IT IS CALLED FREEDOM OF SPEECH DUMMY!!!!

old people does seh don't bite the hand that feed you.

Django
Originally Posted by Django:
Originally Posted by Nehru:
Originally Posted by Shaitaan:
Originally Posted by Nehru:

All the years past the US did not see it fit to open their Market for Rice.  Make you wonder!!!  A RIG Election???  Massa in charge???   Fools giving Guyana away to Foreigners????

 

I always enjoy the rants of the anti-American immigrant ranting against America from the safety of his American home and his American job and his American bank account.

 

It's cute.

IT IS CALLED FREEDOM OF SPEECH DUMMY!!!!

old people does seh don't bite the hand that feed you.

Old people does seh lots of things, mostly I dont pay attention to what they say.

Nehru
Originally Posted by Cobra:

The U.S. got plenty of rice from India and China, but they want to facilitate Guyana to show Venezuela that they can buy our rice if they don't want it. This love is killing me. 

Question is why now by the US_of_A.

FM
Originally Posted by Demerara_Guy:
Originally Posted by Cobra:

The U.S. got plenty of rice from India and China, but they want to facilitate Guyana to show Venezuela that they can buy our rice if they don't want it. This love is killing me. 

Question is why now by the US_of_A.

Because they want Guyana oil. Plus, they have an opportunity to sneak into Venezuela by the back door. They have a secret plan for Maduro. They killing two birds with one stone.

FM
Originally Posted by Nehru:
Originally Posted by Django:
Originally Posted by Nehru:
Originally Posted by Shaitaan:
Originally Posted by Nehru:

All the years past the US did not see it fit to open their Market for Rice.  Make you wonder!!!  A RIG Election???  Massa in charge???   Fools giving Guyana away to Foreigners????

 

I always enjoy the rants of the anti-American immigrant ranting against America from the safety of his American home and his American job and his American bank account.

 

It's cute.

IT IS CALLED FREEDOM OF SPEECH DUMMY!!!!

old people does seh don't bite the hand that feed you.

Old people does seh lots of things, mostly I dont pay attention to what they say.

That's why yo rass so dumb.

cain
You are an idiot if you think the USA suddenly cares about your rice. Did you not hear the Ambassador say that any deal would be private. FYI, the US has enough rice to sell you, plus they get more than enough from the countries that "matter to them'. They will sign Govt to govt agreements but then leave you to the mercies of their private businesses, who have enough rice supplies. The US's interest is the "OIL of VENEZUELA', not your rice.
 
Originally Posted by Shaitaan:
Originally Posted by Cobra:

The U.S. got plenty of rice from India and China, but they want to facilitate Guyana to show Venezuela that they can buy our rice if they don't want it. This love is killing me. 

 

Look Antiman,

 

Don't you think its a good idea to reduce our dependency on the goodwill of an enemy state who claims 2/3 of our territory and align ourselves with the most powerful country in this Hemisphere and the world at large?

 

Are you that schupid bai?

 

FM
Originally Posted by Cobra:
Originally Posted by Demerara_Guy:
Originally Posted by Cobra:

The U.S. got plenty of rice from India and China, but they want to facilitate Guyana to show Venezuela that they can buy our rice if they don't want it. This love is killing me. 

Question is why now by the US_of_A.

Because they want Guyana oil. Plus, they have an opportunity to sneak into Venezuela by the back door. They have a secret plan for Maduro. They killing two birds with one stone.

Indeed Cobra.

 

Oil is their focus and with Venezuela next door, an apt situation.

FM
Originally Posted by Demerara_Guy:
Originally Posted by Cobra:

The U.S. got plenty of rice from India and China, but they want to facilitate Guyana to show Venezuela that they can buy our rice if they don't want it. This love is killing me. 

Question is why now by the US_of_A.

I told Hunt he needs to open up rice markets for us in return for our cooperation in fighting drugs.  The economy needs to make up money lost.

FM

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