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GFC probes forgery of export documents

Jun 11, 2008 News

The Guyana Forestry Commission (GFC) has launched an investigation into the alleged tampering of export documents by a local business.
Yesterday, via release, the Commission indicated that the documents were submitted by the Guyana Timbers Products Incorporated, a company which operates at Shantinikatan Street, Prashad Nagar, Georgetown; and from all indications, they appear to have been forged.
According to the GFC release, the company had made an application for export certificates.
During the processing phase, it was discovered that the grades on the approved Timber Marketing Certificate (TMC), the supporting application for the export certificates, had been tampered with. This discovery prompted an investigation to be launched.
The release informed that the company submitted an application for a TMC for various species, in the second week of May, 2008. The application was supported by the applicant’s Grader’s grade of species.
This was subsequently verified and confirmed by GFC’s inspectorate, and the certificate was issued.
Subsequently, the release stated, the company made an application for export certificates to complete the process for the export of the produce.
It was at this point that the forgery was discovered.
A source close to the investigation told Kaieteur News that the forgery was very obvious, as someone from the company scratched a figure on the document submitted and replaced it.
When asked about the discrepancy, the source said, the company blamed a clerical staff for such a ‘mistake.’
The source added that a high grade of species was on the document with a low price; but for the very species, a lower grade was on the document, so as to reportedly avoid paying high commission on the export.
This latest development comes in the wake of a major ongoing clampdown by GFC, the Government’s regulatory body, on illegal forestry activities in the country.
The Commission warned that it will continue to monitor all aspects of the industry within its mandate, to ensure that Guyana benefits in full from its forest resources.
Last year, as the pressure mounted following reports of possible irregular practices in the forestry sector, GFC handed down an unprecedented $90 million fine on Barama Company Limited for breaching regulations.
Barama was later found culpable again and fined in excess of $50 million. A number of other companies were also punished.
Almost $300 million in fines have been handed down from last year to now.
The Government has also suspended third-party concessions, where timber companies were once allowed to operate on other concessions.

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