BCL lauds Gov’t for investment policies – celebrates 20 years in Guyana
Georgetown, GINA, November 3, 2011
Source - GINA
Staff of the Guyana Forestry Commission, Barama Company Limited and other invitees at BCL’s 20th anniversary celebration at its Buck Hall location (GINA/ Ramesh Sukhdeo photo)
Barama Company Limited (BCL) today lauded the People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPPC) Government for its foreign investment policies which it states are excellent, and are encouraging more companies to come on board while others are celebrating their achievements as a result of the vibrant and responsible economic management of the economy over the past many years.
The plywood company, this week observes 20 years of successful operations in Guyana and to mark the milestone, a celebration was held at its Buck Hall, Region Two location and a veneer plant and craft centre were commissioned.
Minister of Agriculture Robert Persaud, who also holds responsibility for the forestry sector and the PPPC Presidential Candidate and Advisor Donald Ramotar today, joined hundreds of staff and other invitees at the celebration.
Minister Persaud congratulated the company for it prudent management and it 20-year investment achievements in Guyana.
PPP/C Presidential candidate Donald Ramotar, Agriculture Minister Robert Persaud and Chief Executive Officer, Barama Company Ltd, Clement Ooi and another BCL official enjoying the activities at Barama’s 20th anniversary celebrations
“As you know when we took office in 1992 as a Government and as a political party we would have had reservation about this investment, but we got over that reservation by ensuring that the necessary safeguard polices were put in place to ensure that workers and, the people of Guyana got a fair deal,” Minister Persaud said.
Today, he said, Barama stands testimony to the Government’s prudent and responsible foreign investment policies.
Government has over the years created the necessary climate and environment which have been attracting massive and multi-billion foreign investments and “promises to continue so that the people of Guyana can have jobs and opportunities for a brighter and prosperous future,” Minister Persaud assured.
Expounding on the successes of the company, Minister Persaud said that Barama has brought about much transformation within the forestry sector especially with the introduction of new and modern technologies.
PPP/C Presidential candidate Donald Ramotar presents a token of appreciation to a long serving employee of Barama Company Ltd.(GINA Ramesh Sukhdeo photo)
The company, he said continues to regulate its operations with strict practices within the forestry sector and place emphasis on improving and further advancing workers’ rights and benefits.
“We are also happy to see over the years the willingness of the company to invest in terms of re-tooling and expanding its operation, particularly looking at other value added activities….while the company has not yet achieved all its objectives and goals we are satisfied with their serious efforts in pioneering value added products,” Minister Persaud said.
Under the PPP/C Government, he said the forestry sector is poised to improve in the area of value added products and “we do hope as Barama celebrates it 20th anniversary we would see a further rededication in the area of value added products, much more than ply wood but other products under good forestry practices,” Minister Persaud challenged the company.
Agriculture Minister Robert Persaud presents a long-serving employee of Barama Company Ltd. With a token . (GINA Ramesh Sukhdeo photo)
In this regard, he explained that the Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) was designed to ensure that forestry resources are maximized and at the same time bring greater benefits to all Guyanese.
“The LCDS is also looking at new economic activities including renewable energy and hydro power…so we have to remove this myth that the LCDS was about the reduction of forestry activities,” Minister Persaud explained.
The LCDS, he said will not interfere, reduce or restrict forestry activities in Guyana.
As a result of the good and sustainable forestry management principles and practices implemented by the PPP/C Government, he said Guyana is being seen as a leader in sustainable forestry management by many forestry based countries and international organisations especially in Africa, Asia and the Food and Agriculture Organization.
“That is how the LCDS was designed, so that we can now value our eco-services and bring about five to ten times more greater income that current forestry activities,” Minister Persaud said and used the opportunity to inform about the existing agreement between the Governments of Guyana and Norway.
Massive infrastructural development that is on-going in Guyana requires much more timber and forest products.
PPP/C Presidential candidate Donald Ramotar and Agriculture Minister Robert Persaud check out products on display at Barama Company’s craft centre
“We will continue to work with all stakeholders to see how best we can facilitate and meet those needs and allow greater growth,” Minister Persaud said.
He echoed the called for greater efforts from stakeholders within the sector to heed those needs.
Minister Persaud in sparing no efforts educated the gathering on the new monitoring technologies being used by the Guyana Forestry Commission to ensure greater compliance within the forestry sector.
Ramotar who also addressed the gathering spoke on the policies and programmes set out the PPP/C 2011 manifesto to further advance and modernize the forestry sector and shared with workers some of his fond memories growing up in Karia Karia, Region 2, a logging community.
“My father was a timber man and those days we use to sell our timber at Supenaam…when I use to live here we did not had so much development…things have really changed,” Ramotar said.
With this in mind, he said that forestry sector will always remain close to his heart, since it gave him and his other sibling an education.
“Growing up in that community with other brilliant boys and girls who did not had the opportunity to further their studies….those are some of things that haunted me all my life, what could be done to give people equal opportunities to develop themselves,” Ramotar said.
In this regard, he urged BCL to also use it resources to give back to other communities within its reach.
Commissioning of the veneer plant at Buck Hall
The company’s Chief Executive Officer, Clement Ooi said that over the past 20 years, it has delivered an investment that has surpassed $25 billion.
Barama, he said is proud to be a key player in Guyana being internationally recognized as a country with good sustainable forest management practices.
He also credited President Bharrat Jagdeo for the LCDS and, “we are confident in our LCDS readiness to embrace his visionary path of development for Guyana”.
Ooi also promised that Barama would continue to operate under a policy that adheres to sound and ethical management practices which are sensitive and respectful to the expectation of all stakeholders.
The company has also established a wide network of roads, in excess of 2200 kilometres in the Region which has created massive opportunities for hinterland communities, Ooi said.
The 20 years of progress, he said has proven worthy for the challenges of the future, and that the company will continue to work with the Government for the betterment of workers and the country.
Thirty staff were also honoured for their outstanding services to the company for over 15 years of service.
Barama Company is one the largest investors in the local forestry sector with the most modern and state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities in plywood and veneer. The company is also considered to have the largest kiln drying facility in the Guianas region.
Georgetown, GINA, November 3, 2011
Source - GINA
Staff of the Guyana Forestry Commission, Barama Company Limited and other invitees at BCL’s 20th anniversary celebration at its Buck Hall location (GINA/ Ramesh Sukhdeo photo)Barama Company Limited (BCL) today lauded the People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPPC) Government for its foreign investment policies which it states are excellent, and are encouraging more companies to come on board while others are celebrating their achievements as a result of the vibrant and responsible economic management of the economy over the past many years.
The plywood company, this week observes 20 years of successful operations in Guyana and to mark the milestone, a celebration was held at its Buck Hall, Region Two location and a veneer plant and craft centre were commissioned.
Minister of Agriculture Robert Persaud, who also holds responsibility for the forestry sector and the PPPC Presidential Candidate and Advisor Donald Ramotar today, joined hundreds of staff and other invitees at the celebration.
Minister Persaud congratulated the company for it prudent management and it 20-year investment achievements in Guyana.
PPP/C Presidential candidate Donald Ramotar, Agriculture Minister Robert Persaud and Chief Executive Officer, Barama Company Ltd, Clement Ooi and another BCL official enjoying the activities at Barama’s 20th anniversary celebrations“As you know when we took office in 1992 as a Government and as a political party we would have had reservation about this investment, but we got over that reservation by ensuring that the necessary safeguard polices were put in place to ensure that workers and, the people of Guyana got a fair deal,” Minister Persaud said.
Today, he said, Barama stands testimony to the Government’s prudent and responsible foreign investment policies.
Government has over the years created the necessary climate and environment which have been attracting massive and multi-billion foreign investments and “promises to continue so that the people of Guyana can have jobs and opportunities for a brighter and prosperous future,” Minister Persaud assured.
Expounding on the successes of the company, Minister Persaud said that Barama has brought about much transformation within the forestry sector especially with the introduction of new and modern technologies.
PPP/C Presidential candidate Donald Ramotar presents a token of appreciation to a long serving employee of Barama Company Ltd.(GINA Ramesh Sukhdeo photo)The company, he said continues to regulate its operations with strict practices within the forestry sector and place emphasis on improving and further advancing workers’ rights and benefits.
“We are also happy to see over the years the willingness of the company to invest in terms of re-tooling and expanding its operation, particularly looking at other value added activities….while the company has not yet achieved all its objectives and goals we are satisfied with their serious efforts in pioneering value added products,” Minister Persaud said.
Under the PPP/C Government, he said the forestry sector is poised to improve in the area of value added products and “we do hope as Barama celebrates it 20th anniversary we would see a further rededication in the area of value added products, much more than ply wood but other products under good forestry practices,” Minister Persaud challenged the company.
Agriculture Minister Robert Persaud presents a long-serving employee of Barama Company Ltd. With a token . (GINA Ramesh Sukhdeo photo)In this regard, he explained that the Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) was designed to ensure that forestry resources are maximized and at the same time bring greater benefits to all Guyanese.
“The LCDS is also looking at new economic activities including renewable energy and hydro power…so we have to remove this myth that the LCDS was about the reduction of forestry activities,” Minister Persaud explained.
The LCDS, he said will not interfere, reduce or restrict forestry activities in Guyana.
As a result of the good and sustainable forestry management principles and practices implemented by the PPP/C Government, he said Guyana is being seen as a leader in sustainable forestry management by many forestry based countries and international organisations especially in Africa, Asia and the Food and Agriculture Organization.
“That is how the LCDS was designed, so that we can now value our eco-services and bring about five to ten times more greater income that current forestry activities,” Minister Persaud said and used the opportunity to inform about the existing agreement between the Governments of Guyana and Norway.
Massive infrastructural development that is on-going in Guyana requires much more timber and forest products.
PPP/C Presidential candidate Donald Ramotar and Agriculture Minister Robert Persaud check out products on display at Barama Company’s craft centre“We will continue to work with all stakeholders to see how best we can facilitate and meet those needs and allow greater growth,” Minister Persaud said.
He echoed the called for greater efforts from stakeholders within the sector to heed those needs.
Minister Persaud in sparing no efforts educated the gathering on the new monitoring technologies being used by the Guyana Forestry Commission to ensure greater compliance within the forestry sector.
Ramotar who also addressed the gathering spoke on the policies and programmes set out the PPP/C 2011 manifesto to further advance and modernize the forestry sector and shared with workers some of his fond memories growing up in Karia Karia, Region 2, a logging community.
“My father was a timber man and those days we use to sell our timber at Supenaam…when I use to live here we did not had so much development…things have really changed,” Ramotar said.
With this in mind, he said that forestry sector will always remain close to his heart, since it gave him and his other sibling an education.
“Growing up in that community with other brilliant boys and girls who did not had the opportunity to further their studies….those are some of things that haunted me all my life, what could be done to give people equal opportunities to develop themselves,” Ramotar said.
In this regard, he urged BCL to also use it resources to give back to other communities within its reach.
Commissioning of the veneer plant at Buck HallThe company’s Chief Executive Officer, Clement Ooi said that over the past 20 years, it has delivered an investment that has surpassed $25 billion.
Barama, he said is proud to be a key player in Guyana being internationally recognized as a country with good sustainable forest management practices.
He also credited President Bharrat Jagdeo for the LCDS and, “we are confident in our LCDS readiness to embrace his visionary path of development for Guyana”.
Ooi also promised that Barama would continue to operate under a policy that adheres to sound and ethical management practices which are sensitive and respectful to the expectation of all stakeholders.
The company has also established a wide network of roads, in excess of 2200 kilometres in the Region which has created massive opportunities for hinterland communities, Ooi said.
The 20 years of progress, he said has proven worthy for the challenges of the future, and that the company will continue to work with the Government for the betterment of workers and the country.
Thirty staff were also honoured for their outstanding services to the company for over 15 years of service.
Barama Company is one the largest investors in the local forestry sector with the most modern and state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities in plywood and veneer. The company is also considered to have the largest kiln drying facility in the Guianas region.
