The export of logs should be banned

http://www.stabroeknews.com/index.pl/article?id=56530098

Stabroek News

Monday, October 1st 2007

Dear Editor, I am very happy to see that you have given space to Ms Bulkan to highlight the practices of Barama. I would like to also add to the list Mr Seelochan Beharry. I think all Guyana should applaud these people for their efforts to educate us on the unfair and destructive practices of this company in our forestry sector. I am amazed that the government is still considering what options to take when it is clear to us that we as a nation are being 'taken for a ride.' Perhaps we are waiting for some international consultant to come and prepare a report for us, hold a big consultation at the Le Meridien, tell us what we already know, then we will wake up and think of taking a stand. It is about time that we exert more pressure on the government to end the export of prime and other species of logs not only by Barama, but in general. The industry is always crying out about the need for value-added operations, but if drastic measures are not taken now, then value added will never happen. I think the international donor agencies should also get involved and make debt relief conditional upon proper forestry practices; after all they too have a stake in the 'lungs of the world.' Barama tells us all the time that the operations are not profitable; I would like to know which business entity would continue to operate over the longer term when their operations were not economically viable? I think we have had enough excuses and it's about time we take a firm stand. Ban all exports of logs immediately. Yours faithfully, Vincent Ferreira