Market-based reward mechanism for standing forests
– Guyana will advocate at Bali Climate Change Conference
Guyana Chronicle, 8 December 2008
AGRICULTURE Minister Robert Persaud, before leaving for the 13th
Meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP) to the United Nations
Convention on Climate Change being held in Bali, Indonesia, has
reiterated the administration’s position on the global issue.
Persaud, during his presentation Thursday in the National Assembly,
said incentives for the country’s standing forests will be among the
major proposals to be put forward by Guyana at the Conference being
held from December 3 to 14.
He said members of the House are aware of the tremendous developments
that are taking place in the climate arena and the principal cause for
global warming which is greenhouse gas emission, into the atmosphere.
The Minister explained that persons must understand that Guyana’s
standing forests continue to act as a carbon sink for greenhouse gas
emissions, and provide an ecological service to the world.
The Kyoto Protocol was crafted to reward those countries which have cut
down their forests through the provision of incentives to replant.
Countries like Guyana which manage their forests in a responsible way
and have avoided deforesting, are not rewarded for doing so by the
Kyoto regime.
Persaud told the House it is against this backdrop that Guyana is
presenting a proposal that “calls for a market-based mechanism to
reward us for the environmental services provided by our standing
forest”.
At the Bali summit, we are advancing this proposal to ensure that in
any post-Kyoto framework there is an effective market-based arrangement
for the carbon sink ability of standing forest resources, including
Guyana’s,” Minister Persaud explained.
The Agriculture Minister also used the opportunity to dispel rumours
that Guyana will be selling its forest.
“This proposal will not impinge on our sovereignty. Not a single
hectare of our forest will be sold. There is no plan to either
relinquish our forests or alienate our local foresters and communities.
We will continue forestry and mining activities in a sustainable
manner,” Minister Persaud disclosed.
During the COP, Guyana will also be advocating stronger support for
adaptation measures, improvements in the technology transfer and a
negotiated post-Kyoto agreement by the end of 2009.
President Bharrat Jagdeo who announced Guyana’s position has already
started bilateral and multi-lateral engagements on the country’s
proposal, which according to Persaud is promising.
Tuesday, December 11, 2007
Sunday, December 9, 2007
Guyana’s fight against climate change
Guyana’s fight against climate change
Guyana Chronicle, 8 December 2008
Under the leadership of President Bharrat Jagdeo, Guyana has stepped
out as a country committed to fighting the battle against Climate
Change. President Jagdeo has recognized the importance of the harmful
effects of climate change in our world.
In Guyana, there has been political and legislative oversight to ensure
that Guyana’s rainforest is preserved and that there are careful
deforestation mechanisms in place.
Internationally, President Jagdeo has been vocal on the need for
developed countries to place climate change as a priority, and proposed
the need for developed and developing countries to cooperate in the
ongoing fight against climate change.
Dwayne Narine
Guyana Chronicle, 8 December 2008
Under the leadership of President Bharrat Jagdeo, Guyana has stepped
out as a country committed to fighting the battle against Climate
Change. President Jagdeo has recognized the importance of the harmful
effects of climate change in our world.
In Guyana, there has been political and legislative oversight to ensure
that Guyana’s rainforest is preserved and that there are careful
deforestation mechanisms in place.
Internationally, President Jagdeo has been vocal on the need for
developed countries to place climate change as a priority, and proposed
the need for developed and developing countries to cooperate in the
ongoing fight against climate change.
Dwayne Narine
The Jagdeo Initiative on Climate Change
The Jagdeo Initiative on Climate Change
Guyana Chronicle, 8 December 2008
Presently, over 180 countries as well as observers from
intergovernmental and nongovernmental organizations have assembled in
Bali, Indonesia, for the United Nations Climate Change Conference. The
main agenda of the conference is for countries to participate in
crucial international negotiations on the way forward to save the
planet from the devastating effects of global warming.
In an effort to fight against climate change, President Jagdeo has
introduced an initiative on climate change. The Jagdeo initiative was
first introduced at the Commonwealth Finance Ministers’ Meeting in
October and then again at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Business
forum in Kampala, Uganda, November of this year.
President Jagdeo’s initiative calls for developed countries to give
market-based incentives to developing countries, who can offer their
rainforest in service of the world’s fight against climate change.
It is a known fact that developed nations are guilty of contributing
the most carbon dioxide emissions to the environment, the leading
contributing factor to global warming. In fact, the United States alone
contributes 25% of carbon dioxide emissions.
The Jagdeo initiative and India’s initiative on climate change are
consistent. Also, in the United Kingdom, President Bharrat Jagdeo’s
initiative has been featured on the BBC and Sky News.
Elizabeth Daly
Guyana Chronicle, 8 December 2008
Presently, over 180 countries as well as observers from
intergovernmental and nongovernmental organizations have assembled in
Bali, Indonesia, for the United Nations Climate Change Conference. The
main agenda of the conference is for countries to participate in
crucial international negotiations on the way forward to save the
planet from the devastating effects of global warming.
In an effort to fight against climate change, President Jagdeo has
introduced an initiative on climate change. The Jagdeo initiative was
first introduced at the Commonwealth Finance Ministers’ Meeting in
October and then again at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Business
forum in Kampala, Uganda, November of this year.
President Jagdeo’s initiative calls for developed countries to give
market-based incentives to developing countries, who can offer their
rainforest in service of the world’s fight against climate change.
It is a known fact that developed nations are guilty of contributing
the most carbon dioxide emissions to the environment, the leading
contributing factor to global warming. In fact, the United States alone
contributes 25% of carbon dioxide emissions.
The Jagdeo initiative and India’s initiative on climate change are
consistent. Also, in the United Kingdom, President Bharrat Jagdeo’s
initiative has been featured on the BBC and Sky News.
Elizabeth Daly
Barama should not be short of peeler logs
http://www.stabroeknews.com/index.pl/article?id=56534732
Barama should not be short of peeler logs
Stabroek News, Saturday, December 8th 2007
DearEditor,
Presumably the Barama Company Limited will now be sending home the same
proportion of its expatriate work force as the proportion of its
Guyanese staff who are being made redundant?
("Barama plywood mill to shut temporarily over supply," SN December 05,
2007). This would be necessary to avoid exceeding its permitted 15 per
cent expatriate workforce, allowed by the government in the foreign
direct investment (FDI) arrangement of 1991 and confirmed by the
Minister of Forestry at his press conference on December 8, 2006
("Forestry transfer pricing probe on - Commissioner Singh - Barama,
Jialing to come under closer scrutiny", SN, Saturday, December 09
2006).
Perhaps you could confirm, Mr Editor, with the Ministry of Labour that
the Asian forest workers are indeed being repatriated in the correct
numbers? The FDI arrangement extols the intended Barama investments in
local processing of timber. If the Land of Canaan plywood mill is being
shut down, the continued flow of tax-free concessions from the
government to Barama should also be reduced. It is contrary to the
intentions of the FDI arrangement for Barama to receive tax incentives
(around US$800,000 per year) when it has been increasing its log
exports for the last several years and running down its plywood mill to
25 per cent of its designed capacity. That is also directly contrary to
the National Development Strategy 2001-2010, the National Forest Policy
1997, the National Forest Plan 2001, and the PPP pre-election manifesto
on value-added forest industry.
The CEO of Barama is reported as intending to build up its stock of
baromalli peeler logs in order to re-start the mill. If Barama had paid
more attention to its FDI promises, and if the Government (Guyana
Forestry Commission and Go-Invest) had monitored Barama as Minister
Robert Persaud promised a year ago, those stocks would have been
processed locally and not exported. It is absurd to imply that its huge
logging concession of 1.6 million hectares needs to be supplemented by
logs from illegally-rented neighbouring concessions. The CEO of Barama
now proposes to purchase logs. From whom? Barama is the de facto
manager of at least six concessions, which no longer have their own
capacity to log and supply timber. Loggers such as Jailin have their
own FDI arrangements which commit them to local processing, also
confirmed by the Minister for Forestry in December 2006, so they could
not properly be suppliers to Barama.
I hope that the current focus at the apex of government on the forests
of Guyana as a source of global environmental services does not
distract officials and politicians from correct valuation and
appropriate taxation of FDI -- benefiting logging companies. Perhaps
the Ministry of Finance should take a more strategic interest in the
workings of the Board of Directors of the Guyana Forestry Commission. I
note that the nominal fines imposed on Barama for under-declaration of
log volumes extracted and for illegal logging outside of its concession
boundaries in October 2007 do not seem to be associated with any
requirement for Barama to cease its illegal logging.
Yours faithfully,
Janette Bulkan
Barama should not be short of peeler logs
Stabroek News, Saturday, December 8th 2007
DearEditor,
Presumably the Barama Company Limited will now be sending home the same
proportion of its expatriate work force as the proportion of its
Guyanese staff who are being made redundant?
("Barama plywood mill to shut temporarily over supply," SN December 05,
2007). This would be necessary to avoid exceeding its permitted 15 per
cent expatriate workforce, allowed by the government in the foreign
direct investment (FDI) arrangement of 1991 and confirmed by the
Minister of Forestry at his press conference on December 8, 2006
("Forestry transfer pricing probe on - Commissioner Singh - Barama,
Jialing to come under closer scrutiny", SN, Saturday, December 09
2006).
Perhaps you could confirm, Mr Editor, with the Ministry of Labour that
the Asian forest workers are indeed being repatriated in the correct
numbers? The FDI arrangement extols the intended Barama investments in
local processing of timber. If the Land of Canaan plywood mill is being
shut down, the continued flow of tax-free concessions from the
government to Barama should also be reduced. It is contrary to the
intentions of the FDI arrangement for Barama to receive tax incentives
(around US$800,000 per year) when it has been increasing its log
exports for the last several years and running down its plywood mill to
25 per cent of its designed capacity. That is also directly contrary to
the National Development Strategy 2001-2010, the National Forest Policy
1997, the National Forest Plan 2001, and the PPP pre-election manifesto
on value-added forest industry.
The CEO of Barama is reported as intending to build up its stock of
baromalli peeler logs in order to re-start the mill. If Barama had paid
more attention to its FDI promises, and if the Government (Guyana
Forestry Commission and Go-Invest) had monitored Barama as Minister
Robert Persaud promised a year ago, those stocks would have been
processed locally and not exported. It is absurd to imply that its huge
logging concession of 1.6 million hectares needs to be supplemented by
logs from illegally-rented neighbouring concessions. The CEO of Barama
now proposes to purchase logs. From whom? Barama is the de facto
manager of at least six concessions, which no longer have their own
capacity to log and supply timber. Loggers such as Jailin have their
own FDI arrangements which commit them to local processing, also
confirmed by the Minister for Forestry in December 2006, so they could
not properly be suppliers to Barama.
I hope that the current focus at the apex of government on the forests
of Guyana as a source of global environmental services does not
distract officials and politicians from correct valuation and
appropriate taxation of FDI -- benefiting logging companies. Perhaps
the Ministry of Finance should take a more strategic interest in the
workings of the Board of Directors of the Guyana Forestry Commission. I
note that the nominal fines imposed on Barama for under-declaration of
log volumes extracted and for illegal logging outside of its concession
boundaries in October 2007 do not seem to be associated with any
requirement for Barama to cease its illegal logging.
Yours faithfully,
Janette Bulkan
Varshnie's Vanishing Vehicle -and other green measures
http://www.stabroeknews.com/index.pl/article?id=56534536
Wednesday's Ramblings
Varshnie's Vanishing Vehicle -and other green measures
Stabroek News, Wednesday, December 5th 2007
President Jagdeo has gone green. His decision to take the nation's
forests hostage in a high stakes game of ecological chicken ("I will
chop them down! I'm not bluffing!") is part of a substantial and
personal conversion to what is known as deep ecology. He has seen the
fluorescent light!
It all happened on a recent trip to Washington where he slipped his
security detail and had dinner at an organic restaurant where he was
first forced to strip to his briefs and chant Buddhist prayers. The
meal of urban sourced watercress and bean sprouts was a revelation and
when he casually told the owner he just so happened to own a few
million square hectares of virgin rainforest, the two stayed up until 2
am sipping organic cocoa and discussing his "duty to the planet, dude".
Jagdeo returned to his hotel in a daze carrying a pamphlet outlining
the deep ecology philosophy.
Among them is: "The well-being and flourishing of human and nonhuman
life on Earth have value in themselves. These values are independent of
the usefulness of the nonhuman world for human purposes."
"The ideological change is mainly that of appreciating life quality
rather than adhering to an increasingly higher standard of living.
(What other reason could there be for VAT?)
Since that fateful night almost all his other decisions, many of them
quite unfathomable, have been influenced by deep ecology.
Many may have not noticed but the President is now wearing Hemp
underwear. It's kind of itchy and might explain how he has been
irritable of late.
He did not say it, but his decision not to dismiss the "gun toting"
Kellawan Lall was borne out of a concern for the amount of paper work
the resignation would produce…nothing more. (And certainly not
because we can always rely on him to do the wrong thing)
This president cares deeply about the use of paper. He regularly goes
into the grounds of State House and hugs the trees. He climbs them,
talks to them, shows them policy papers. He loves those "brother"
trees.
So much so that the Chancellor/Chief Justice standoff is influenced by
Jagdeo's belief that a crippled and hobbled judicial system will
produce less paper.
The removal of the vehicle for Varshnie Singh (she didn't like those
trees) was guided by his personal deeply held conviction that
combustion engines are evil. They are harming the planet and heck she
can take public transportation like everyone else.
And finally according to tenet (6) of the Deep Ecology platform:
"Policies must therefore be changed. The changes in policies affect
basic economic, technological structures. The resulting state of
affairs will be deeply different from the present."
That's why the President's surprising warning (instead of the annual
promise) that the country can expect a dark Christmas thanks to
continuing GPL blackouts. Ominously his way of getting the nation
conditioned to an eventual complete break from electricity. Get ready
for a brighter if somewhat dimmer era of pre industrial, carbon neutral
purity.
Mystery of the Week
Guess which newspaper these letter excerpts come from.
"….The former First Lady is encountering unnecessary and arbitrary
treatment that cannot be justified until legal divorce papers are
filed…"
"…The fact is that many East Indians are unhappy, dissatisfied, and
frustrated with the governance of the PPP-civic administration."
"Now is the time, and not only for toys but a tax break for the general
funding for education, medical and clothing needs…"
Can you believe all are from the Monday edition of the Chronic. What
the hell is going on over there? Has the GINA letter department gone on
strike? Is the Misirable Impresonator on leave? Or has the editor
finally located his balls?
We are deeply disappointed. Please resume normal fake letter writer
programming or the government will withdraw all ads from this
newspaper.
Unlikeliest Quote of the Week
'One of his (Gerry Gouveia's) loyal friends and veteran pilot Captain
Chan-A-Sue pledged his support to the new plan but warned him not to
allow his "balls to get bigger than his brain"'
Question of the Week
Why is the Stats Bureau holding out on the inflation rate since issuing
the last one for July? It's December. You have the numbers. Cough them
up.
Editorial
Lovable and cuddly minister Cement Rohee wants the nation's school
children to tell bus drivers to slow down. Exactly which planet does he
live on?
Wednesday's Ramblings
Varshnie's Vanishing Vehicle -and other green measures
Stabroek News, Wednesday, December 5th 2007
President Jagdeo has gone green. His decision to take the nation's
forests hostage in a high stakes game of ecological chicken ("I will
chop them down! I'm not bluffing!") is part of a substantial and
personal conversion to what is known as deep ecology. He has seen the
fluorescent light!
It all happened on a recent trip to Washington where he slipped his
security detail and had dinner at an organic restaurant where he was
first forced to strip to his briefs and chant Buddhist prayers. The
meal of urban sourced watercress and bean sprouts was a revelation and
when he casually told the owner he just so happened to own a few
million square hectares of virgin rainforest, the two stayed up until 2
am sipping organic cocoa and discussing his "duty to the planet, dude".
Jagdeo returned to his hotel in a daze carrying a pamphlet outlining
the deep ecology philosophy.
Among them is: "The well-being and flourishing of human and nonhuman
life on Earth have value in themselves. These values are independent of
the usefulness of the nonhuman world for human purposes."
"The ideological change is mainly that of appreciating life quality
rather than adhering to an increasingly higher standard of living.
(What other reason could there be for VAT?)
Since that fateful night almost all his other decisions, many of them
quite unfathomable, have been influenced by deep ecology.
Many may have not noticed but the President is now wearing Hemp
underwear. It's kind of itchy and might explain how he has been
irritable of late.
He did not say it, but his decision not to dismiss the "gun toting"
Kellawan Lall was borne out of a concern for the amount of paper work
the resignation would produce…nothing more. (And certainly not
because we can always rely on him to do the wrong thing)
This president cares deeply about the use of paper. He regularly goes
into the grounds of State House and hugs the trees. He climbs them,
talks to them, shows them policy papers. He loves those "brother"
trees.
So much so that the Chancellor/Chief Justice standoff is influenced by
Jagdeo's belief that a crippled and hobbled judicial system will
produce less paper.
The removal of the vehicle for Varshnie Singh (she didn't like those
trees) was guided by his personal deeply held conviction that
combustion engines are evil. They are harming the planet and heck she
can take public transportation like everyone else.
And finally according to tenet (6) of the Deep Ecology platform:
"Policies must therefore be changed. The changes in policies affect
basic economic, technological structures. The resulting state of
affairs will be deeply different from the present."
That's why the President's surprising warning (instead of the annual
promise) that the country can expect a dark Christmas thanks to
continuing GPL blackouts. Ominously his way of getting the nation
conditioned to an eventual complete break from electricity. Get ready
for a brighter if somewhat dimmer era of pre industrial, carbon neutral
purity.
Mystery of the Week
Guess which newspaper these letter excerpts come from.
"….The former First Lady is encountering unnecessary and arbitrary
treatment that cannot be justified until legal divorce papers are
filed…"
"…The fact is that many East Indians are unhappy, dissatisfied, and
frustrated with the governance of the PPP-civic administration."
"Now is the time, and not only for toys but a tax break for the general
funding for education, medical and clothing needs…"
Can you believe all are from the Monday edition of the Chronic. What
the hell is going on over there? Has the GINA letter department gone on
strike? Is the Misirable Impresonator on leave? Or has the editor
finally located his balls?
We are deeply disappointed. Please resume normal fake letter writer
programming or the government will withdraw all ads from this
newspaper.
Unlikeliest Quote of the Week
'One of his (Gerry Gouveia's) loyal friends and veteran pilot Captain
Chan-A-Sue pledged his support to the new plan but warned him not to
allow his "balls to get bigger than his brain"'
Question of the Week
Why is the Stats Bureau holding out on the inflation rate since issuing
the last one for July? It's December. You have the numbers. Cough them
up.
Editorial
Lovable and cuddly minister Cement Rohee wants the nation's school
children to tell bus drivers to slow down. Exactly which planet does he
live on?
Plywood mill closure due to Barama inaction
Minister Persaud declares…
Plywood mill closure due to Barama inaction
Guyana Chronicle news article, 07 December 2007
MINISTER of Agriculture, Mr. Robert Persaud has said that the “severe
supply shortfall of peeler logs” blamed for the closure of Barama
Company Limited (BCL) plywood mill, at Land of Canaan, East Bank
Demerara, is a direct consequence of inaction on its part.
In a statement yesterday, he said this was not disputed by the
management representatives who attended a meeting held, with Barama
Chairman, Mr. Girwar Lalaram, Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Peter Ho and
General Secretary of Guyana Labour Union (GLU), Mr. Carvil Duncan,
after the announcement.
Minister Persaud, who outlined a series of events leading up to the
latest development, said it is expected that BCL will significantly
increase the magnitude of operations in its own leased concession area,
beginning in 2008, as it is only utilising about 20 percent of its
allocated extraction level.
The statement said the Ministry expects that Barama will also review
its position and take a more compassionate stand regarding the future
of the Land of Canaan mill employees.
The Minister’s narrative said, in October 2007, BCL was given a cease
order to stop harvesting in some third party concessions because of
breaches of the Guyana Forestry Commission’s (GFC’s) procedures. It
continued: “Shortly afterward, the Ministry of Agriculture indicated,
in a press release, that, in the interest of the workers, it is
prepared to facilitate access to raw materials for the plywood factory,
but only as part of a transition process that will eliminate any
approved sub-contractual arrangement by December 3 2007.
“The GFC then requested BCL to send appropriate staff members to meet
with the GFC, in an effort to work out the conditions and logistics of
such an arrangement. To date, the GFC has had no positive response to
this request by BCL.
“As part of the Government’s social commitment, the GFC is still
willing to facilitate such a process, but in accordance with very
clearly defined conditions, which can only be arrived at on the basis
of meetings with the technical staff of GFC and BCL.
“It was later verified that BCL had committed additional breaches of
procedure in the forest concession leased to Guyana Sawmills Inc.
(GSM). GFC indicated that it would allow BCL to remove and utilise the
peeler species already harvested in GSM, on condition that BCL
formally communicate its commitment to pay the compensation, in
accordance with the GFC procedures. “This stipulation was necessary
because, once the logs were utilised, GFC would have no evidence in
the event that BCL refused to pay the necessary compensation. Despite
repeated requests by the GFC, BCL has sent no formal commitment. “GFC
has held several meetings with senior staff of BCL, to express concern
that the forest concession of 1,612,000 hectares was being
significantly under- utilised. The GFC mandated BCL to pursue
increased beneficial utilisation of the forest concession of 1,612,000
hectares within the GFC’s allowable limits.“BCL, at a meeting on
October 31, 2006, gave a commitment to increase the utilisation of the
area issued to it. Currently, BCL’s utilisation of its concession is
bout 20 per cent of its allowable harvest. For the period 1998-2006,
the total cumulative allowable production was 3,382,470 cubic metres,
or an annual allowable cut of 375,830 cubic metres.
“The actual production for the period 1998-2006 is 676,372 cubic
metres, or an annual average of 75,152 cubic metres. This corresponds
to a level of utilisation that is approximately 20 per cent. These
figures illustrate the point that BCL is under-utilising its
concession, even though it gave a commitment, in 2006, to improve
productivity in accordance with the limits established by the GFC.
“As a consequence, a substantial number of felled peeler logs are on
the ground in the concession leased to GSM. Another quantity of felled
peeler logs are also currently on the ground in a concession leased to
Toolsie Persaud Limited.
“The GFC has informed BCL that it can access these logs if certain
requirements are met,” the narrative ended.
Plywood mill closure due to Barama inaction
Guyana Chronicle news article, 07 December 2007
MINISTER of Agriculture, Mr. Robert Persaud has said that the “severe
supply shortfall of peeler logs” blamed for the closure of Barama
Company Limited (BCL) plywood mill, at Land of Canaan, East Bank
Demerara, is a direct consequence of inaction on its part.
In a statement yesterday, he said this was not disputed by the
management representatives who attended a meeting held, with Barama
Chairman, Mr. Girwar Lalaram, Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Peter Ho and
General Secretary of Guyana Labour Union (GLU), Mr. Carvil Duncan,
after the announcement.
Minister Persaud, who outlined a series of events leading up to the
latest development, said it is expected that BCL will significantly
increase the magnitude of operations in its own leased concession area,
beginning in 2008, as it is only utilising about 20 percent of its
allocated extraction level.
The statement said the Ministry expects that Barama will also review
its position and take a more compassionate stand regarding the future
of the Land of Canaan mill employees.
The Minister’s narrative said, in October 2007, BCL was given a cease
order to stop harvesting in some third party concessions because of
breaches of the Guyana Forestry Commission’s (GFC’s) procedures. It
continued: “Shortly afterward, the Ministry of Agriculture indicated,
in a press release, that, in the interest of the workers, it is
prepared to facilitate access to raw materials for the plywood factory,
but only as part of a transition process that will eliminate any
approved sub-contractual arrangement by December 3 2007.
“The GFC then requested BCL to send appropriate staff members to meet
with the GFC, in an effort to work out the conditions and logistics of
such an arrangement. To date, the GFC has had no positive response to
this request by BCL.
“As part of the Government’s social commitment, the GFC is still
willing to facilitate such a process, but in accordance with very
clearly defined conditions, which can only be arrived at on the basis
of meetings with the technical staff of GFC and BCL.
“It was later verified that BCL had committed additional breaches of
procedure in the forest concession leased to Guyana Sawmills Inc.
(GSM). GFC indicated that it would allow BCL to remove and utilise the
peeler species already harvested in GSM, on condition that BCL
formally communicate its commitment to pay the compensation, in
accordance with the GFC procedures. “This stipulation was necessary
because, once the logs were utilised, GFC would have no evidence in
the event that BCL refused to pay the necessary compensation. Despite
repeated requests by the GFC, BCL has sent no formal commitment. “GFC
has held several meetings with senior staff of BCL, to express concern
that the forest concession of 1,612,000 hectares was being
significantly under- utilised. The GFC mandated BCL to pursue
increased beneficial utilisation of the forest concession of 1,612,000
hectares within the GFC’s allowable limits.“BCL, at a meeting on
October 31, 2006, gave a commitment to increase the utilisation of the
area issued to it. Currently, BCL’s utilisation of its concession is
bout 20 per cent of its allowable harvest. For the period 1998-2006,
the total cumulative allowable production was 3,382,470 cubic metres,
or an annual allowable cut of 375,830 cubic metres.
“The actual production for the period 1998-2006 is 676,372 cubic
metres, or an annual average of 75,152 cubic metres. This corresponds
to a level of utilisation that is approximately 20 per cent. These
figures illustrate the point that BCL is under-utilising its
concession, even though it gave a commitment, in 2006, to improve
productivity in accordance with the limits established by the GFC.
“As a consequence, a substantial number of felled peeler logs are on
the ground in the concession leased to GSM. Another quantity of felled
peeler logs are also currently on the ground in a concession leased to
Toolsie Persaud Limited.
“The GFC has informed BCL that it can access these logs if certain
requirements are met,” the narrative ended.
Barama's inaction caused shortage at plywood factory - Minister Persaud
Barama's inaction caused shortage at plywood factory - Minister Persaud
Kaieteur News, 6 December 2007
Barama has only itself to blame for the shortage of peeler logs to
supply its plywood factory. So says Minister of Agriculture, Robert
Persaud.
The Minister's statement comes shortly after an announcement by Guyana
's logging giant that it is being forced to close its factory because
it is running out of Baromalli peeler logs which are being used to
produce plywood.
Barama Company Limited (BCL), in a press statement earlier this week,
said that affected employees, numbering over 300, will be absorbed by
its new sawmill lines at Buckhall, Essequibo , where there are plans to
substantially increase production.
Yesterday, the Minister said that Barama is only utilizing 20% of its
allotted extraction level and he expects the company to “significantly
increase the magnitude of operations in its own leased concession area
beginning in 2008…”
The Minister and Commissioner of Forests James Singh met with Barama's
Chairman Girwar Lalaram, Chief Executive Officer Peter Ho, and the
General Secretary of the Guyana Labour Union, Carvil Duncan, during an
emergency meeting on Tuesday at the ministry.
In explaining how Barama ended up in its predicament, the ministry
noted that, in October, the company was given a cease-order to harvest
in a number of third-party concessions because of breaches of Guyana
Forestry Commission's procedures.
Shortly afterward, the Ministry said, Barama indicated that, in the
interest of the workers, it was prepared to facilitate access to raw
materials for the plywood factory, “but only as part of a transition
process that will eliminate any approved sub-contractual arrangement by
December 31, 2007.”
The GFC then requested Barama to send staff members to meet with the
GFC in an effort to work out the conditions and logistics of such an
arrangement. “To date, the GFC has had no positive response to this
request by BCL,” the release disclosed.
The GFC is still willing to facilitate such a process, but in
accordance with very clearly defined conditions.
“It was later verified that BCL had committed additional breaches of
procedure in the forest concession leased to Guyana Sawmills Inc.
(GSM). GFC indicated that it would allow BCL to remove and utilize the
peeler species already harvested in GSM (GSM's concession), on
condition that BCL formally communicate its commitment to pay the
required compensation in accordance with the GFC procedures.”
This stipulation was necessary, says the ministry, because once the
logs were utilized, GFC would have no evidence in the event that BCL
refused to pay the necessary compensation. Despite repeated requests by
the GFC, BCL has sent no formal commitment.
“GFC has held several meetings with senior staff of BCL to express
concern that the forest concession of one million, six hundred and
twelve thousand (1,612,000) hectares was being significantly
underutilized. The GFC mandated BCL to pursue increased beneficial
utilization of the forest concession within the GFC's allowable limits.
BCL, at a meeting on October 31, 2006, gave a commitment to increase
the utilization of the area issued to it.”
According to the ministry, BCL's utilization of its concession is about
20 % of its allowable harvest. For the period 1998-2006, the total
cumulative allowable production was 3,382,470 cubic metres, or an
annual allowable cut of 375,830 cubic metres. “The actual production
for the period 1998-2006 is 676,372 cubic metres, or an annual average
of 75,152 cubic metres. This corresponds to a level of utilization that
is approximately 20 %. These figures illustrate the point that BCL is
under-utilizing its concession, even though it gave a commitment in
2006 to improve productivity in accordance with the limits established
by the GFC.”
According to the ministry, as a consequence, a substantial number of
felled peeler logs are on the ground in the concession leased to GSM.
Another quantity of felled peeler logs is also currently on the ground
in a concession leased to Toolsie Persaud Limited. The GFC has informed
BCL that it can access these logs if certain requirements are met.
The stated “severe supply shortfall of peeler logs” is therefore as a
direct consequence of inaction on BCL's part.
“The Ministry expects that the Company will review its position and
take a more compassionate stand regarding the future of the employees
of the Land of Canaan Plywood Mill ,” the release urged.
Kaieteur News, 6 December 2007
Barama has only itself to blame for the shortage of peeler logs to
supply its plywood factory. So says Minister of Agriculture, Robert
Persaud.
The Minister's statement comes shortly after an announcement by Guyana
's logging giant that it is being forced to close its factory because
it is running out of Baromalli peeler logs which are being used to
produce plywood.
Barama Company Limited (BCL), in a press statement earlier this week,
said that affected employees, numbering over 300, will be absorbed by
its new sawmill lines at Buckhall, Essequibo , where there are plans to
substantially increase production.
Yesterday, the Minister said that Barama is only utilizing 20% of its
allotted extraction level and he expects the company to “significantly
increase the magnitude of operations in its own leased concession area
beginning in 2008…”
The Minister and Commissioner of Forests James Singh met with Barama's
Chairman Girwar Lalaram, Chief Executive Officer Peter Ho, and the
General Secretary of the Guyana Labour Union, Carvil Duncan, during an
emergency meeting on Tuesday at the ministry.
In explaining how Barama ended up in its predicament, the ministry
noted that, in October, the company was given a cease-order to harvest
in a number of third-party concessions because of breaches of Guyana
Forestry Commission's procedures.
Shortly afterward, the Ministry said, Barama indicated that, in the
interest of the workers, it was prepared to facilitate access to raw
materials for the plywood factory, “but only as part of a transition
process that will eliminate any approved sub-contractual arrangement by
December 31, 2007.”
The GFC then requested Barama to send staff members to meet with the
GFC in an effort to work out the conditions and logistics of such an
arrangement. “To date, the GFC has had no positive response to this
request by BCL,” the release disclosed.
The GFC is still willing to facilitate such a process, but in
accordance with very clearly defined conditions.
“It was later verified that BCL had committed additional breaches of
procedure in the forest concession leased to Guyana Sawmills Inc.
(GSM). GFC indicated that it would allow BCL to remove and utilize the
peeler species already harvested in GSM (GSM's concession), on
condition that BCL formally communicate its commitment to pay the
required compensation in accordance with the GFC procedures.”
This stipulation was necessary, says the ministry, because once the
logs were utilized, GFC would have no evidence in the event that BCL
refused to pay the necessary compensation. Despite repeated requests by
the GFC, BCL has sent no formal commitment.
“GFC has held several meetings with senior staff of BCL to express
concern that the forest concession of one million, six hundred and
twelve thousand (1,612,000) hectares was being significantly
underutilized. The GFC mandated BCL to pursue increased beneficial
utilization of the forest concession within the GFC's allowable limits.
BCL, at a meeting on October 31, 2006, gave a commitment to increase
the utilization of the area issued to it.”
According to the ministry, BCL's utilization of its concession is about
20 % of its allowable harvest. For the period 1998-2006, the total
cumulative allowable production was 3,382,470 cubic metres, or an
annual allowable cut of 375,830 cubic metres. “The actual production
for the period 1998-2006 is 676,372 cubic metres, or an annual average
of 75,152 cubic metres. This corresponds to a level of utilization that
is approximately 20 %. These figures illustrate the point that BCL is
under-utilizing its concession, even though it gave a commitment in
2006 to improve productivity in accordance with the limits established
by the GFC.”
According to the ministry, as a consequence, a substantial number of
felled peeler logs are on the ground in the concession leased to GSM.
Another quantity of felled peeler logs is also currently on the ground
in a concession leased to Toolsie Persaud Limited. The GFC has informed
BCL that it can access these logs if certain requirements are met.
The stated “severe supply shortfall of peeler logs” is therefore as a
direct consequence of inaction on BCL's part.
“The Ministry expects that the Company will review its position and
take a more compassionate stand regarding the future of the employees
of the Land of Canaan Plywood Mill ,” the release urged.
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