Monday, November 19, 2007

Willems Timber likely to face penalties over breaches

http://www.stabroeknews.com/index.pl/article?id=56533329

Willems Timber likely to face penalties over breaches
Stabroek News, Saturday, November 17th 2007

The Guyana Forestry Commission (GFC) said preliminary findings of an
audit on Willems Timber and Trading Company have indicated that the
company has breached its operational procedures and penalties will be
instituted upon the completion of the investigations.

According to a source close to the investigations, Willems Timber,
which has leased a forest concession similar to Barama Company Limited
(BCL), could face a steep fine. The company said yesterday that it
wasn't speaking to the media.

A source confirmed that two other large local forestry companies are on
the radar and may be made to pay heavy fines in the coming days.

In a comment yesterday, Minister of Agriculture Robert Persaud noted
that the GFC was in the process of carrying out checks of all forest
concessions to ascertain whether their operations are in compliance
with regulations and operational procedures.

Meanwhile the GFC said in a press release that Barama Company Limited
has paid in full the required compensation of $96.4M to the GFC for
breaches of procedure committed in forestry concessions leased to A.
Mazaharally and Sons Limited, Barakat Timbers Limited and N. Sukul and
Sons Limited.

"While BCL's recent press statement on the matter has confirmed no
liability on their part, the GFC maintains its position that the
breaches were verified on the basis of substantial and intensive
investigations, the GFC also notes the willingness of BCL to cooperate
with the GFC in carrying out a comprehensive review of BCL's operations
to avoid any recurrence," the GFC said.

The GFC also noted BCL's willingness to cooperate with the GFC in fully
addressing another identified breach of procedures involving both BCL
and Guyana Sawmills Limited in a forest concession leased to the latter
company.

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