Not so Transparent an answer

Questioned timber shipment above board - Commissioner Singh
GFC not releasing cargo details
Wednesday, January 3rd 2007

Commissioner of Forests James Singh is maintaining that a shipment of logs which left Guyana in December on the vessel 'Rong Cheng' met all of the regulatory body's requirements for export and that the body is not under any obligation to provide requested details.

Singh was speaking last week in response to a letter to this newspaper, in which Patrick Jackson questioned this particular export of logs.

Jackson said that he called the Guyana Forestry Com-mission (GFC) on several occasions to get answers to questions that he had about the information that he found on a blog. The blog, called Guyana Plunder without Profit, features a number of articles and views on Guyana's forest industry.

On a post dated December 15, 2006, the blog shows four photographs depicting logs being loaded on to the Rong Cheng from a barge while in the Demerara River. The blog can be found at http://guy anaforestry.blogspot.com.

Jackson said in the letter that he tried unsuccessfully for several days to contact the Commissioner of Forests for answers. But speaking to this newspaper, Singh said that the GFC does not give out details of shipments. He said that the GFC didn't wish to engage in a public debate and that the shipment was above board.

Jackson's letter stated: "Through your newspaper, I wish to ask the Commissioner of Forests to name the timber exporter(s) with cargo on the Rong Cheng, what species/volumes/value of logs were being exported, and the names of the consignees."

The letter writer stated that the photos showed no Customs or GFC official present at the loading of the ship, but a GFC official said that officers of the agency don't have to be on hand every minute during the loading of the logs on the ships.

Singh also said that on the matter of transfer pricing, the Forest Products Marketing Council and the Planning and Research section of the GFC are engaged in an investigation and the findings of this will be made known in due course.

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