An ominous new clause to control information

http://www.stabroeknews.com/index.pl/article?id=56525669

An ominous new clause to control information
Stabroek News
Sunday, July 29th 2007

Dear Editor,

I was sorry to see that the Government has reverted to control of
information in order to conceal the illegalities in the forest sector;
"Forestry commission bill passed - concern voiced at ministerial power"
(SN 07.07.27). I note the quotation from PPP backbencher Odinga Lumumba
"that Government's aim is to change the public's perception about the
GFC". Not to fix the problems prevalent because of the lax monitoring
by the GFC in the forest sector, but to ensure through severe penalties
of a fine of G$ 1 million and a year in prison that the illegalities do
not become public, and the analyses of the kinds published over the
last year and a half in SN are made more difficult.

Watch out for the slack wording in the revised Forests Act due for
National Assembly discussion next week, allowing for private trading of
national forest assets which since 1993 have been allocated by public
tendering, so legalising the current sub-contracting of forest
concessions.

Don't rely on the GFC for information; for years it has failed in its
legal duty to lay annual reports before the National Assembly, or to
present audited accounts, both required under the previous GFC Act of
1979, and it is aiding illegal loggers by the removal months ago from
its website of the code of practice on timber harvesting.

Yours faithfully,

Mahadeo Kowlessar