| Farmers owed by Mahaicony Rice Mills Limited for paddy at Village 70, Corentyne, and at Paradise and Vilvoorden, Essequibo Coast will today and tomorrow be paid a total of $53M by SeaRice Caribbean Guyana.Management of SeaRice Caribbean Guyana made this announcement yesterday at John Fernandes Wharf, Water Street.According to Fitzroy McLeod, Financial Controller, the company purchased Mahaicony Rice Mills Limited’s assets at Paradise and Vilvoorden, hence inheriting the debts.It was noted that as part of an agreement concluded between the Ministry of Agriculture, Guyana Rice Development Board and SeaRice Caribbean Guyana, payments will begin at Village 70 today and will continue at Paradise and Vilvoorden on Thursday.From left: Douglas Chappels, General Manager; Roopnarine Sukhai, Managing Director and Fitzroy McLeod, Financial ControllerThe company has been in the rice milling business for years and wants to begin operating the mills and receiving centres at Black Bush Polder, #70 Village, Vilvoorden and Paradise from this crop.McLeod related that the company is aiming to produce 20,000 tons of rice with the acquired assets, and targets the Venezuelan, European and Jamaican markets. There are no real plans to supply the local market with rice, but by-products such as bran will be available. He assured that the company has a good track record with making payments timely to farmers.SeaRice Caribbean Guyana made it clear that monies owed to the Guyana Cooperative Financial Service have already been settled in full. In addition, $495M owed to Government by Mahaicony Rice Mills Limited was repaid nine days ago. |
