Bai Shan Lin logging scandal...Burns thousands of abandoned logs in E’bo

Bai Shan Lin logging scandal…Burns thousands of abandoned logs in E’bo

Aug 17, 2014 News

– ships in US$25M in equipment before logging permission granted

Under-fire Chinese-owned firm, Bai Shan Lin, spent over $5B (US$25M) in equipment to conduct

The burnt remains of the logs at Kwebanna.

primary extraction activities even before it received permission to conduct large scale logging.
The admission by the company yesterday in a statement would raise questions whether Government and its agencies promised the company that it will clear the way for it to receive state forests to conduct logging activities.
Both Bai Shan Lin and the Government of Guyana are facing serious flak now over the arrangements the latter has with the company.
The company has been conducting significant logging activities in especially the Upper Berbice, Region 10, area without any clear moves to establish its promised processing facilities.
While Bai Shan Lin has two State Forest Exploratory Permits, it has not yet been granted the clearance to log as a number of studies have to first be completed and submitted first to the regulators.
Government says that the company has joint venture arrangements with a number of local companies and organizations but sheer number of heavy equipment far outstrips what is needed for these.
Yet the company went ahead and was granted duty free concessions to bring in hundreds of trucks, scores of bulldozers, loaders and other heavy duty equipment. This type of equipment is mainly used for logging, a clear signal of Bai Shan Lin’s intent in Guyana.
How Government allowed the shipments of the equipment before the approval of logging permits in Bai Shan Lin’s concessions is the big question.
According to industry officials, duty free concessions are normally granted after a business plan is submitted and the needs of the business would determine what these concessions are.
Since details of the logging activities hit the media over a week ago, the Parliamentary Opposition and local operators have been demanding details.
A letter from the Guyana Manufacturing and Services Association has been sent to Government requesting details of

Chairman Chu Wenze

Bai Shan Lin’s agreement with Government.
Among other things, stakeholders want the full text of all foreign direct investment (FDI) arrangements and supplementary contracts and details of all concession licences – Timber Sales Agreements (TSA), Wood Cutting Licences (WCLs) and State Forest Permissions (SFPs).
Government and the Guyana Forestry Commission are also being asked to table all Joint Venture contracts, showing signatures of government approvals on letterheads, and with dates.
Meanwhile, in its joint venture concession at Kwebanna, Region One, several logs which were apparently abandoned in one of the trails for months, were found to be torched.
It was reported that workers of Bai Shan Lin, in an attempt to get rid of the logs which had been lying there for a while, lit them on fire to get rid of them.
The GFC tags on several of half burned logs remained unscathed.
The Kwebanna concession has reportedly been a major problem for Bai Shan Lin because it is an area in which new roads have to be built.
The company is hoping to use the Waini River to help it move the cut logs out of the area.
It remains to be seen whether GFC takes action over the burning of the logs.