GFC Investigation of Itself Unacceptable

Guyana Human Rights Association
Executive Committee
September 26 2007
PRESS RELEASE

GFC Investigation of Itself Unacceptable


The announcement today by the Ministry of Agriculture of an internal
investigation by the Guyana Forestry Commission (GFC) into
under-pricing and false declarations of timber products is an
unacceptable and inadequate response to allegations of irregular,
illegal and corrupt activities taking place in this sector. Two minimum
conditions for the credibility of the investigation is the temporary
suspension of Forestry Commissioner, James Singh, and the appointment
of independent investigators.

In addition to under-pricing, the past decade has seen a catalogue of
dubious and illegal mis-management including over-logging of prime
species, ‘land-lording’ of concessions, non-payment of revenues, labour
exploitation of indigenous people, reverse buy-outs disguising true
ownership, preference for foreign over Guyanese labour, and destruction
of national and Amerindian forest assets.

Whether Commissioner Singh may be involved in any of the activities
under investigation is not the point. He has presided over a key
statutory Body over the period of years this catalogue of accusations
has accumulated. The announced investigation is not the result of
internal GFC zeal, but external pressure from national and
international agencies and activists outraged by the irresponsible
plundering of Guyana’s forests. Yesterday’s announcement confirms this
by referring to the GFC unearthing suspicious findings when it started
to conduct checks on records for the past three months.

This is not a recent problem. As long ago as 1994, sixty-one local and
international signatories including virtually every major environmental
network and agency on the planet wrote to the Government of Guyana and
all donor agencies on the occasion of the World Bank Advisory Group
Meeting in Guyana . That statement urged that:

“ The Government freeze the handing out of logging concessions and
institutes a Commission of Inquiry into the performance of the
industry. As well as reviewing the effects on Amerindians, paying
special attention to their land rights, the Commission should make
public the content and extent of all Timber Sales Agreements and
logging concessions, assess the conditions of the labour force in
forest operations and establish to what extent the Forestry Commission
is able to ensure effective forest management”

The statement also quoted Stabroek News of October 29, 1993, to the
effect that “the Agency clearly is unable to perform its functions…it
is largely unable to collect the fees it is due and unable to enforce
planning requirements and environmental safeguards.”

Such terms of reference for an independent Commission of Inquiry remain
even more valid today than when first formulated and should replace the
proposed investigation.

The recent dismissal of a Deputy Commissioner of the GFC is a trivial
response to the scale of the problem. The nation deserves adequate
assurance that its ancient forests are receiving the protection they
require. The Ministry’s release refers to under-declaration and
pricing of logs, which is a short-term loss of revenue to the nation.
It remains silent on the irrevocable damage to the global environment
this plundering represents.

President Jagdeo is currently lobbying world leaders gathered at the UN
in New York to discuss climate change and carbon credits. His arguments
that nations, like Guyana, which have not squandered their forest
patrimony deserve more equitable financial support, would be further
strengthened by a vigorous and impartial inquiry.

Guyana Human Rights Association
Executive Committee
September 26 2007