Some questions for the relevant authorities

Sep 12, 2009 Letters

Dear Editor,
I have noticed that there is a call from your newspaper that citizens be more proactive in matters pertaining to issues of governance and financial accountability.
I commend your efforts at bringing to light instances of corruption by officials high and low. This is the function of the fourth estate in a democracy.
I think I may have landed on some further instances of irregularity in an important sector. Least I be criticised for not asking the questions first and getting an explanation, before being sensationalist and screaming “Corruption!”, I request the Minister to respond to the following questions with regard to four long-term Timber Sales Agreements (TSAs). These TSAs:
* TSA 6/85 covering 64,472 ha, issued 01 January 1986, and expired 31 December 2000 officially
* 2. TSA 9/85 covering 91,204 ha, issued 01 January 1986, and expired 31 December 2000 officially
* 3. TSA 10/85 covering 55,982 ha, issued 01 January 1986, and expiring 19 December 2030 officially
* 4. TSA 1/91 covering 56,616 ha, issued 08 November 1991, and expiring 19 December 2029 officially
For each of these TSAs:
1. Who is now the official concession holder?
2. What are the start and expiry dates for the current concession?
3. In accordance with Clause 14 of the Forest Regulations 1953, who is the actual operator of the concession, and for what dates did the contracting arrangement enter into operation (start and finish)?
4. Under Clause 12 of the Forest Regulations 1953, when did the President approve transfer of the concession from the original concession holder?
5. Under Part III A4(d) of the National Forest Policy 1997, transfer of forest concessions requires satisfaction of qualifying standards. Where are these qualifying standards published, when were they published, where is the due diligence report published which confirms that the current concession holder has satisfied those qualifying standards?
6. What are the outstanding debts on this concession? What is the schedule for payment of these debts? Who has agreed to make these payments? What interest is being charged on these outstanding debts?
When was the Minister of Finance notified of the outstanding debts, and the arrangements to recover the monies?
7. Why was the concession transferred from the original holder to another holder without seeking to maximize Government revenue by advertising the concession and calling for a public tender with competitive bidding, in accordance with Part III A4(b) of the National
Forest Policy?
8. If this concession is not being transferred and given that the original concession holder has not been operating the concession in accordance with the terms of Schedule 2 A of the Forest Regulations 1953, why is this concession not being formally revoked in accordance with the National Forest Policy 1997, Part III B 3 (a), and the National Forest Plan 2001 (section NFP 320) and re-advertised as in my question 7 above?
Khemraj Ramjattan

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