Barama did not sub-lease from other logging companies but was sub-contracted

http://www.stabroeknews.com/index.pl/article?id=56524486

Barama did not sub-lease from other logging companies but was
sub-contracted
Stabroek News
Friday, July 13th 2007

Dear Editor,

The Guyana Forestry Commission (GFC) takes note of an article in
Sunday's edition of Stabroek News (July 8, 2007) titled "Barama
harvesting legally outside its Concession - Commissioner of Forests".

The GFC wishes to clarify the following.

* At no time did the Commissioner state that "Barama Timber Sales
agreement allowed it to engage in contractual arrangements with smaller
logging companies. In this way, Barama harvested from these concessions
in exchange for capital investment in those companies".

* The Commissioner actually made a very general statement indicating
that the Timber Sales Agreement and Wood Cutting Lease Agreement allows
for any Company to sub-contract another entity, with the approval of
the Commission.

Many companies had approached the Commission for permission to engage
in sub-contracting since they did not themselves have all of the
equipment, machinery, technical skills and available financing to do
infrastructural works (road building etc.) to allow effective
implementation of their Forest Management Plan and Annual Operational
Plans.

The Commission approved the sub-contracting based on this
justification. The Commission made it explicit, however, that this
sub-contracting was also intended to improve the ability of the
contracting company eventually to a point where it no longer had to
engage in sub-contracting. This aspect is now being enforced by the
Commission.

Yours faithfully,

James Singh

Commissioner of Forests

Guyana Forestry Commission