Govt. is fully committed to improving forestry sector

Jan 25, 2013 News

– Minister Persaud

The need for reforms to improve the local forestry sector was stressed on Wednesday when the Guyana Forestry Commission (GFC) met with forestry concessionaires in Kingstown, Georgetown.
Addressing the meeting, Minister of Natural Resources and the Environment Robert Persaud said that stakeholders and Government have a shared and common objective in moving the sector forward through reforms, enhanced productivity, more value added products and better marketing practices.
“The issue here is how we can help without compromising our core functions,” he noted.
Minister Persaud said that only stakeholders are best able to determine their own realities, not letter writers who reside in their own domain. He pointed out that short-term solutions to addressing challenges facing the sector will not work.
The meeting, which attracted representatives of major companies and from the Guyana Manufacturing and Services Association and the Forest Producers Association, was not intended to sanction anyone, Persaud further stressed.
The issue of a revolving financial fund will be examined closely to see how it could be adapted to suit the forestry sector. This will be done with assistance from the banking sector and stakeholders in the near future, according to the Minister. It will help those in the sector to expand their investments.
He further called on stakeholders to understand what their customers want, particularly within the local sector. There is much more room for expansion, he observed, and emphasised however, that this can only be done with input and cooperation from all stakeholders.
GFC’s Commissioner James Singh raised several concerns facing the agency which include the high volume of export of key wood species, low productivity, poor planning, high local prices, a lack of investing in training of local employees, low levels of retooling equipment and poor marketing.
Commissioner Singh said that after consultations with the GFC’s board of directors, a comprehensive list of recommendations has been made. Some of these include the harvesting of more species to offset what has been described as the “creaming” of the forest. This refers to the harvesting of more well known trees versus lesser used species.
Computerised monitoring of the sector to ensure better compliance, including timely submission of inventory data by forestry concessionaires will be implemented. There will also be meetings with the GFC and individual concessionaires every two months and collective meetings with their senior representatives every three months. The GFC will also engage stakeholders in skills training for their various levels of employees through its Forestry Training Centre in Kingston, Georgetown.
Currently, average production of allocated forestry blocks is around 33%, way below the GFC’s mandated 60% and this has to change, Commissioner Singh said if the sector is to increase to meet growing demands.
Administrative policies will be instituted for undue delays in implementing the various recommendations he noted. Failure to do so can result in the suspension, or partial or complete repossession of concessions. A review of the Log Export policy is being done to ensure an adequate supply for the local market, he further added.
Several concerns by forestry concessionaires were also raised and more meetings are planned to arrive at consensus to move the industry forward. (GINA)

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Govt. is fully committed to improving forestry sector

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