Barama was paying us a pittance in royalties, we plan to start our own forestry operation

http://www.stabroeknews.com/index.pl/article?id=56522925

Barama was paying us a pittance in royalties, we plan to start our own
forestry operation
Stabroek News,
Thursday, June 21st 2007

Dear Editor,

In response to Peter Persaud's recent letters in the Stabroek News on
Akawini and Barama, I would like to clarify his own role in the affair
from the village council perspective.

His claim that the village council is losing millions is misleading.
Any royalties that the council received from Barama were dwarfed by the
profits that the company was making out of us. For example, for a
purpleheart log the community under the agreement would receive
approximately $2,000 in royalties. Before Barama came, we could sell
the same log for $300,000. Only God knows what Barama is selling these
logs for on the export market. Besides, what amount of money can make
up for the destruction they have caused in our community? In the light
of what has happened, the council has started work on a proposal to
start up our own sustainable forestry operation.

For your information Mr Persaud the APA was the only organization that
listened to our pleas for help when the situation with IWPI and Barama
became unbearable. We would like to ask Mr Persaud, with whom was the
decision to kick Barama out "unpopular" because at the village meeting,
the community voted unanimously to take this action and he was there to
see it for himself.

Mr Persaud did indeed claim that he was an Amerindian representative
when, under pressure, we signed the first contract, despite what he
claims now. He mentioned to the village that he was from TAAMOG and
that the contract was in the best interests of the community.

By his own admission, this contract was later sent back to the Minister
of Amerindian Affairs for amendments because it didn't have the
community's best interest at heart.

Rather than being at a crossroads of doom as Mr Persaud claims, the
community feels that our future is once again in our hands. Moreover,
who are you Mr Peter Persaud to use the word "doom" to the Akawini
village council when you were one of the co-conspirators who fooled us
into signing a contract that would indeed have spelled our doom.

Yours faithfully

David Wilson

Toshao,

Akawini Village