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We have fulfilled all our obligations to Guyana
– says Indian logging company
The Vaitarna Holding Private Incorporated (VHPI) – a subsidiary of the Indian-owned,
The three mills used by Vaitarna Holding Private Incorporated.
Coffee Day— is insisting that it has fulfilled its commitment to Guyana to set up a wood processing facility to add value to the operations at Wineperu, Essequibo.
The company has installed a portable WoodMizer sawmill and two stationary mills.
This disclosure was made amidst several requests by this publication over the past two weeks, to have an interview with the officials of the company. However, the “Boss” was never able to facilitate a meeting with this publication.
Aruna Azeez, the Business Support Officer of the company, instead, issued a press statement on behalf of her superior in response to the frequent requests. Azeez said that she hoped that the statement contained all of the information that this publication was seeking. However it did not.
There were many questions that needed to be answered about Vaitarna’s operation which has over the years, come under heavy scrutiny.
Azeez stated that the “Boss” has committed to meet with Kaieteur News “as soon as he comes back”. However, she could not say when this will be.
The release indicated that “as per its previous commitment, Vaitarna Inc. has installed three industrial WoodMizer LT 70 model saw mills, one WoodMizer EG 400 and one Woodmizer EG 300 model Edger at Wineperu. A saw-doctoring unit facility has also been established.”
The statement continued that the operation of this equipment is supported by two Caterpillar-brand diesel generator sets with 225 KVA and 113 KVA capacities respectively.
All the machines are currently operational, the statement revealed, and the company currently has the capacity to produce approximately 350,000BM (825 m3) of lumber per month on an eight-hour shift.
Vaitarna Inc. currently has 136 employees of whom 126 are Guyanese (93 % of the total employees). All 17 of the sawmill employees are Guyanese, the release stated.
“The majority of the 126 Guyanese employees are from the local community of Wineperu. This employment generation has contributed visibly to the socio-economic development of the Wineperu community.
“The company is very conscious of its Corporate Social Responsibilities and currently provides meals, electricity and transportation to its employees. Additionally, Vaitarna Inc. has committed its 24 hours support to the entire Wineperu community in cases of medical emergencies, and to assisting residents with lumber for repairs and maintenance of their houses.”
Vaitarna Inc. says that it supports the school in the community by providing stationery, infrastructure maintenance, campus upkeep, text books and prizes etc.
“The company is committed to downstream processing and servicing both domestic and overseas markets. As market access/conditions improve; Vaitarna Inc. will further increase production, thereby creating additional employment opportunities.
Vaitarna Inc. operates in compliance with the guidelines for Sustainable Forest Management (SFM) as prescribed by the Guyana Forestry Commission (GFC).The Company commits to continued adherence to the regulatory and policy framework of Guyana, and reaffirms its long term commitment to the forestry sector in Guyana.’
The total area held by Coffee Day is approximately 738,000 hectares of forest. VHPI has in the past come under scrutiny after several reports began to surface that the company was exporting raw lumber.
The exportations of logs rather than processing the timber locally, has long been a concern since numerous promises have been made by the previous administration and foreign investors about value-added operations.
The promise of value-added has been seen as a “sugar coating” to enable the export of large quantities of logs, particularly to China and India, even though there is little job creation in Guyana or value enhancement in this sector.
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