And while that house humour was the most entertaining potion of today's debate - there was also talk about serious national issues. We're referring to the price of rice that we've been reporting on for the past week. As we told you importer Jack Charles is ready to ring in cheap Guyanese rice - which he says would retail for 50 cents per pound less than the current locally produced rice.
The local producers have come forward to say that the high price of rice isn't their fault - it's the grocery shops that are driving up prices beyond the controlled price.
Government is urging local producers to bring prices down - and they won't grant a permit to Jack Charles. But today Foreign Minister Wilfred Elrington said that with the treaty of Chaguaramas, there's only so much they can do:..
Hon. Wilfred Elrington
"Clearly that is a matter that the government has got to look into to ensure that in fact the people get the best deal. But I would also like to say at this point in time, that I find it incomprehensible that in fact the Guyanese are able to land rice here at 60 cents or 63 cents a pound in sacks and we cannot produce it for less than 80 cents. It's a Caricom sister nation. We are competing against that Caricom sister nation and certainly, it is the entitlement that the Belizean public to get the cheapest rice from Caricom. I am sounding a warning Mr. Speaker, because I know that our government will do all in our power to protect our local industries and our local people. But I can tell you very readily that there are only certain things that we have control over and if in fact business people in our country have the right under our treaty obligations with the Caribbean to import rice at a cheaper price, our government may not be able to help them and stop them from doing it."
Hon. Abelardo Mai
"If we allow rice to be imported, thousands may lose their jobs. Hundreds of families will be left out in the cold and investments in the millions will be lost. I cannot imagine the social and economic disaster. We cannot allow rice to be imported from Guyana. No sensible government, PUP or UDP or no P at all, should allow the importation of rice from Guyana or from any other country that subsidies its production. At this time, we have rice to last us for 3 years. How in the world can the Belizean farmer compete with Guyana producers, when the latter have the full backing of their government. The cost of production is far lower in Guyana, because of their government support. How can we compete with Guyana when the farmers are being offered lows of 1% interest rate and guess where the money come from? I am certain that the infrastructure investments come from PC (Petrocaribe funds). How much have we invested of the PC money on rice, member for Belize Rural south?"
And so tonight the issues remains unresolved and at the forefront of the national discourse - which is thanks to the work of Jack Charles. But, the price of a pound of rice remains unnecessarily high and ultimately it is the job of the supplies control office to enforce it - and we have not heard a peep from them. We'll press for a comment next week.
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