They noticed that the vast majority of the people were very poor. They also noticed that the staple food of these poor people was rice. In those early days (in the 20?s and 30?s) rice used to come all the way from India and China and sell here in the shop for 3 cents per pound.

So they did some investigating and they found out that the richest soil is in the Toledo District, and also the rainfalls. The Toledo soil was more suitable for rice cultivation than anywhere else in the world, where they have rice-growing areas. So in the early 30?s they started to build a rice agricultural station at Mile 5 on the PGSA Road. They had a sign that read, ?The Rice Experimental and Demonstration Station, Toledo?.

There they brought in an agricultural rice instructor, ?Daniel Darius Haynes?, better known as ?D.D.Haynes?. Then they brought in an agricultural rice instructor, Daniel Darius Haynes, better known as ?DD Haynes?. Then they bought a rice mill from Scotland and set it up in PG Town, and when the macadamized road was finished in 1939 to San Antonio, ?DD Haynes? took some of us in his new V-8 Ford pickup truck and gave lands at the Dump at 14 ? Miles on the P.G.S.A. Road, and we started to prepare land for rice cultivation.

They also had thrashers to thrash this rice for us. One may ask why the Dump was chosen to plant rice. Let me explain, this area of land starts from the Columbia River down to the Rio Grande, then across the Dump to Mafredi to Blue Creek to Aguacate down to Moho River, down to Sunday Wood and back to Jacinto Creek. I would say maybe about half a million acres more or less, mostly swampy lands. Rich fertile lands and the right amount of rainfall that is needed for the cultivation of rice. These lands are unique, superior to any other rice growing areas in any other part of the world according to the rice experts.

All through the years of the British Government the white man saw to it that no other people can come here and sell rice in this country unless Toledo rice farmers? rice is sold out first. You see, my dear good people of this precious Jewel of ours, under the white man we had democracy in action.

After Mr. George Cadle Price became Prime Minister of this country, he continued to do the same thing like the white man. He served the people as their leader, but at the same time he respected and protected the poor rice farmers of Toledo. When Al Davis had that large cultivation at Big Falls on the Belize Old River. Mr. Price saw to it that Davis couldn?t sell a hundred lb bag of rice in this country unless Toledo rice farmers? products were exhausted. My dear Belizean people, you call this type of government, democracy in action – for the people by the people.

Now we have a new Prime Minister. This man thinks that the poor rice farmers of Toledo are his servants and they must do as he says or else they can all go to hell. Look what he did, call these hypocrites, these nincompoops in his Cabinet in Belmopan and sign a contract with them that they will supply the country of Belize with his poisonous rice (which I told you about in the previous article).

Just a few days ago in PG Town I met some Maya Indian rice farmers and they told me that they appreciated what I was doing to try to help out the situation, and they asked me if I could try to get a message to the Prime Minister why during the last election he came down here and tell us if we vote for him, he will see to it that we always have money in our pockets. Why did he tell us this dirty lie, because what he is doing now he is depriving us of the little money we have, by closing down our rice industry.

Dear readers, you call this hypocrisy, corruption and lies. In the next article, I will tell you how we are deciding to take court action against these hypocrites.

Thanks, and may God have mercy on us all.

(Signed)

Hon. Bismark Ranguy, Sr.

(S) Justice of the Peace