A rice shipment that Chilean authorities found to be contaminated was inspected and certified by the Guyana Rice Development Board (GRDB), which is being accused along with the Agriculture Ministry of trying to smear the supplier, the Alesie Group.
Agriculture Minister Dr Leslie Ramsammy has publicly voiced his disappointment with former Alesie Group CEO Dr Turhane Doerga, whom he says has jeopardised a potential market in Chile due to the contaminated shipment.
The Chilean inspection unit reported back to the GRDB in December that some of the 50kg bags in the over 71 tonnes shipped were riddled with stones, pests, woodchips and even fungi.
However, on November 13, 2014, the shipment, which originated from Rumzeight Rice Processor Inc through Alesie Guyana, was inspected by the GRDB, which issued a quality packaging and inspection certificate. The certificate recorded no foreign matter and listed the date of fumigation as two days prior.
The quality and inspection certificate said there was 14% broken rice as well as less than three per cent damaged and chalky kernels and minimal discoloured and striated rice.
“The Alesie Group supplied it, but it wasn’t Alesie-branded rice. The rice qualified under the specifications in Chile. The rice was certified by GRDB under the contract quality,” Doerga told Stabroek News.
“The rice was certified. You can’t ship anything if Jagnarine [Singh, General Manger of the GRDB] doesn’t sign off on it. It is the GRDB they are the ones that have to say, ‘yes, it is good, it is certified and it goes,’” he added.
Doerga said that media reports that the rice was of poor quality and contrary to what was certified and shipped are to be discussed with the GRDB as well as the Agriculture Ministry.
He accused the Board and the ministry of trying to smear his character and that of the Alesie brand.
Meanwhile, Rumzeight Rice Processor Inc, in a letter to Singh dated March 26, noted that “the rice underwent the detailed scrutiny our company usually endures by GRDB and was shipped with GRDB certification and qualified under the contract specifications. If the rice is not complying with contract specifications you should only blame your certification department.”
The company accused the Board of attempting to sabotage the rice deal to Chile, while noting that the trader responsible for the deal in Chile was offered cheaper rice by the GRDB if he abandoned the contract with the Rumzeight Mill.
Stabroek News was told the shipment was inspected by Chile and photographs were sent to the GRDB showing the foreign materials and the state of the rice.
For its part, the GRDB has not issued any statements that would contradict what Doerga has said in relation to the certification process.
Speaking at a PPP press conference on Thursday, Ramsammy stated that millers have an obligation to meet quality demands. He said that Guyana’s reputation as a rice supplier should not be placed in jeopardy because of delinquent millers.
Ramsammy noted that rice markets were fragile and Guyana has worked hard to increase its markets. Currently Guyana exports rice to 33 countries.
Ramsammy said that the Chile market, in particular, was being looked at for possible expansion. He also reiterated that the Rumzeight Mill would be responsible for cleaning the rice or paying for the reshipment. He did not address the role of the GRDB in certifying rice prior to export.
