Latest update February 6th, 2025 7:27 AM
Bishop Edghill highlighted the grave, broken and depressed state of the Forestry Sector
DEAR EDITOR,
A wonder article was written by Mr. Rooplall Dudnauth in another newspaper dated October 24, 2019 titled: Tropical forests are the major buffer against climate change.
If the Government and Board is keen on salvaging the sector they should pay keen attention to this article.
The grave and depressed state of the forestry sector and suffering of ordinary Guyanese dependent on this sector for survival has made the cooker exploded as MP Edghill recently wrote in article published in the media recently. MP Edghill highlighted the plight of Guyanese who for years carved a living from this great resources. Neglect, poor policy planning and ineffective and capricious decision making has ruined this once viable sector.
Mr. Edgill along with a number of stakeholders of the recent past have voiced their unbearable concerns on the management of this sector. Mr. Edghill cited a number of failures of the sector while repeated highlighting the suffering of our people.
However, the list of problems facing the sector goes wider and deeper as follows: Deplorable state of the hinterland roads, wide spread inefficiency within the GFC monitoring unit, misuse of GFC tagging and permitting system, false and under declaration, mixing of species and under payment of royalty, under dealings and wavier of fees on detained forest produce, harassment of stakeholders, intentional delays in inspection. The list can go on but these issues have been highlighted numerous times.
Interesting to note were previous letters written about corruption and mismanagement has been ignored by the Minister of Natural Resources whom have responsibility for Forestry. Please see below a list of previous unanswered complaints just for the month of October:
1. A ticking time bomb: https://www.kaieteurnewsonline.com/2019/10/23/a-ticking-time-bomb/
2. The Natural Resources Ministry should launch an investigation: https://www.kaieteurnewsonline.com/2019/10/18/the-natural-resources-ministry-should-launch-an-investigation/
3. Guyana Forestry Commission must be investigated: https://www.kaieteurnewsonline.com/2019/10/12/guyana-forestry-commission-must-be-investigated/
4. GFC monitoring system has been severely compromised: https://www.kaieteurnewsonline.com/2019/10/04/gfc-monitoring-system-has-been-severely-compromised/
Further, it seems the authorities have deliberately chosen to take a blind view. I was recently informed that the board only has two technical expertise the Commissioner and a former Commissioner and the other members are political appointees and maybe lack the knowhow of what to do, then again why be on the board just be a stamp?
Meanwhile, stakeholders are pleased to see the interest and commitment to the sector from persons like Mr. Edghill to highlight the plight of the sector.
Sincerely,
Pauline Wong
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