Ministry tells timber organization restriction in Act is limited to business information

http://www.stabroeknews.com/index.pl/article?id=56526048

Ministry tells timber organization restriction in Act is limited to
business information
Stabroek News, Saturday, August 4th 2007

Dear Editor,

Just a few days after the contested passage of the revised Guyana
Forestry Commission Act ("Forestry commission bill passed - concern
voiced at Ministerial power" SN 07.07.27) the GFC is already redefining
the wording.

Article 13 of the revision restricts access to, disclosure and use of,
information and Article 27 prescribes atypically severe penalties for
infringement. But by 31 July, the GFC is reporting to the International
Tropical Timber Organization that the restriction is to "business
related information" (ITTO Tropical Timber Market report 12 (14) page
8).

Why was such wording not used in the revised Act or in the explanatory
memorandum signed by Robert Persaud as Minister for Forestry?

If the GFC really does have second thoughts, then it could benefit
from advice given by the World Bank in a recent publication ("Forest
law and sustainable development: addressing contemporary challenges
through legal reform" by Christy, Di Leva, Lindsay, and Takoukam, July
2007). The GFC and government legal advisers should pay special
attention to the sections on good governance - transparency and
disclosure, public participation, accountability, combating illegal
logging and corruption. There are many lessons applicable to Guyana.

Yours faithfully,

Janette Bulkan