Saramacca farmers feel threatened by NOB

More than 20 farmers from the Farmers’ Collective Wayambo and the Gangarampandaweg at Saramacca feel threatened by the National Development Bank (NOB). “We have received a letter from the bank indicating that we must pay back the AKF loans with interest as soon as possible or else they will start seizing our properties. In September we sent a letter to the minister of Agriculture, Stockbreeding and Fisheries

asking him for a meeting because the farmers are currently not able to pay back anything. The minister still has not given any response and we do not know what to do,” said Mahen Abhelakh, chairman of the farmers’ organization. “We received loans from the Agrarian Credit Fund (AKF) but we were suddenly told that the fund would cease to exist and that our debts would be scrapped. You can imagine our surprise when we received a letter from the NOB informing us that we had to pay. But 5 years have gone by and the interest has been doubled. Given the situation of the farmers and the situation in the country, I can tell you that none of us can pay off the loans. We could discuss a payment plan if the NOB is willing to talk to us. But the high interest will be the death of us,” said Abhelakh on behalf of the farmers.