Halt and investigate Bai Shin Lin’s  operations immediately – APNU

…Seeks special sectoral meeting to probe operations

A Partnership for National Unity is currently seeking the intervention of the Speaker of the House, Raphael Trotman, to call an “extraordinary sector committee meeting” to have Bai Shan Lin officials come to Parliament and explain their operations in Guyana. Parliamentarian Joseph Harmon told Kaieteur News that he does not believe that the Guyana Forestry Commission (GFC) is showing the type of energy to facilitate an investigation of this magnitude. Harmon said that all operations of logging should be halted immediately and Parliament should seek a full explanation about what the company is doing. Harmon said that he called the Chairman for the Natural Resources Sector Committee Odinga Lumumba, to discuss the matter, and asked him to facilitate a meeting. However, Harmon said that Lumumba seems very reluctant to meet and discuss the issue. Harmon is insisting that one “cannot sit down and allow the country’s resources to be taken”. He noted that he has sought the Speaker’s intervention to find out whether an “extraordinary meeting” can he held. He said that in doing so they would have the company summoned to Parliament to give answers. “I don’t believe that one entity in any single place has their finger on what is taking place with this company” Harmon told Kaieteur News. Another issue of concern Harmon said, is the “duty free concessions” which were granted to the company. All this is being done against the backdrop of the Environmental Protection Agency saying the company does not have permission to cut or log.  He said that more investigation needs to be done to ascertain under what conditions the duty free concessions were given to the company, if at the time when the vehicles were being brought in, the State Exploratory Permit didn’t exist. Over the weekend the (EPA) denied ever giving the Chinese company, Bai Shan Lin International Forest Development Inc. any permission to do logging. A senior official at the EPA said that as it stands right now, Bai Shan Lin is having meetings with them regarding “scoping”. It was explained that “scoping” is another aspect of its Environmental Assessment which Bai Shan Lin needs to complete. The official further told Kaieteur News that the EPA, once everything is done in accordance with the formal requirements, would grant Bai Shan Lin an “Environmental Authorization Permit” which gives the right to log and harvest timber. But the Guyana Forestry Commission (GFC) has denied that Bai Shan Lin was logging without a licence. Bai Shan Lin International Forest Development Inc. is yet to actually receive a logging licence, but the company has teamed up with four others in joint ventures to export billions of dollars in timber monthly. Forestry officials explained that Bai Shan Lin International Forest Development does not have an actual licence for the exportation of logs. What the company has, is a State Forest Exploration Permit. That document allows Bai Shan Lin to do an Environmental and Social Impact Assessment. The company is also required to do a forestry inventory and business plan which is to be submitted to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). To circumvent the requirements, Bai Shan Lin has opted for joint venture deals with Karbana Wood, Wiacho, HaimoraKabra and Paruni Wood Inc. The official said that at present, the company should only be engaging in limited exploration logging. In June, Bai Shan Lin submitted an application to the EPA seeking environmental authorization to undertake a large scale logging and sawmill operation. That application is still pending. According to the public notice which was published in June, the company asked for the authorization for several areas including the Left Bank Essequibo River, Right Bank Berbice River, Right Bank Essequibo River, Left Bank Corentyne River, Left Bank Lysles River, River Bank Berbice River and Right Bank Powis River, including Regions Nine and Six. It was noted that the project would entail felling, extraction of timber and transporting the commodity to a processing facility. The company would also be doing grading, construction of roads, skid trails, bridges, culverts and camps with other ancillary facilities within the concession. The EPA stated that it fully recognized that the impending works could have “significant impact” on the environment. Thus, in keeping with the Environmental Protections Act of 1996, an “Environmental Impact Assessment” is required before any decision is taken to approve or reject the project. As such, the EPA had said that members of the public were invited within 28 days of the notice to make written submissions, setting out questions and matters which they required to be answered or considered in the “Environmental Impact Assessment”. It is unclear whether the company has completed the process with the EPA. Bai Shan Lin has been granted a forestry concession that amounts to close on one million hectares of rainforest, from which it plans to extract logs and ship them out of Guyana. The company estimates that it will make US$1,800 from each hectare of land, giving it profits totaling US$1.7 billion, according to redd-monitor.org. In addition, the company sought permission to dig up a 20-kilometre stretch of river to look for gold. Other plans include, setting up what it is called a Guyana-China Timber Industry Economic and Trading Corporation Park, plus a 400-acre real estate development. The plans were announced in 2012 by Chu Wenze, Chairman of Bai Shan Lin, at the Second World Congress on Timber and Wood Products Trade in Taicang, China. Those plans were announced even before Guyana knew of it. The country became aware of what was happening only when Bai Shan Lin officials visited Guyana and held discussions with President Donald Ramotar and other government officials. Redd-monitor.org stated that in November 2012, Chu Wenze, Chairman of Chinese logging company Bai Shan Lin, gave a presentation outlining his company’s plans for Guyana at the World Congress in Taicang, China. These plans have threatened Guyana’s proposals to reduce deforestation and forest degradation. Bai Shan Lin is part of a group of 11 companies operating in Guyana. They are all part of the China Forest Industry Group (Hong Kong). These companies have seven logging concessions in Guyana, covering a total area of 960,000 hectares (about 4.5% of the area of the country).

Bulkans claim GFC harassment following Bai Shan Lin articles

A local timber company is protesting what it believes to be harassment by the Guyana Forestry Commission (GFC). The company, Bulkan Timber Works Inc. which operates out of the old glass factory at Yarrowkabra, Soesdyke/Linden Highway, said that a flat-rack with its dressed, kiln-dried lumber destined for export, was stopped by GFC pickup en route to Port Georgetown even though all documentation was in order and had been filed. It was only after the company persistently called the offices of the Ministry of Natural Resources, the Guyana Manufacturers and Services Association, the Guyana National Industrial Co. Inc. and many senior officials of the GFC that the shipment was released. The incident comes in the midst of revelations that a Chinese company, Bai Shan Lin, has been exporting large quantities of unprocessed logs, most of it premier species, under suspicious circumstances. Bulkan Timber Works specializes in value-added wood products, including kiln-dried lumber, doors and mouldings. A company official explained that the shipment of lumber was picked up by a truck belonging to the Guyana National Industrial Company (GNIC) around midday on Friday, August 8. “This load of lumber had been duly inspected by the GFC and possessed the necessary hammer-mark stamps by officers of the GFC as well as an independent timber grader, and the export documents were certified by the GFC Head Office and Local Soesdyke Office, Customs and the GRA Scanning Department, which host the Goods Examination Unit and the Drug Enforcement Unit.” The official said that certified copies of all the necessary documents were lodged with the respective agencies also. The timber company said that on request for “documents,” the driver presented to GFC officials the GNIC Dispatch Note that serves as a transportation contract between shipper and carrier. “The GFC officer demanded to see the export documents to which the truck driver replied that he has never collected any export documents from any shipper that GNIC serves.” The truck and the timber produce were subsequently seized and taken to GFC Soesdyke Office for investigation. Upon learning of the seizure, company officials hurried down to the GFC Soesdyke office. “We learned that this GFC officer who seized the truck with our lumber was an auditor from the Georgetown Head Office. We have never before in the 16 years operating from Yarrowkabra had a situation like this where our value-added lumber was seized on route to the port.” The official said that he found it coincidental that a GFC auditor was sent up on the very same day that Kaieteur News had a feature on the widespread export of unprocessed logs by Bai Shan Lin. The company believes that letters to the editors from two relatives, Howard and Janette Bulkan, which appeared in Kaieteur News the same day, on the Bai Shan Lin issue, sparked the apparent retaliation by GFC. “We believe that this is clear harassment and we wonder if the GFC is insinuating that we were trying to smuggle wood out of Guyana despite them knowing we have always complied and filed our required documents with the authorities. We are not surprised by this high-handed approach by the GFC.” Bulkan Timber Works also said that coincidentally, a Bai Shan Lin truck with a 40-foot enclosed container pulled up at the GFC office but no apparent checks were done to verify what was inside. “The GFC officer when asked said that he does not make the rules and I have to talk to Mr. Tasreef Khan, the Deputy Commissioner at GFC.” “It is inexplicable why the GFC would seek to harass bona fide manufacturers and exporters, as well as small community and Amerindian loggers and chain-sawers with arbitrary and senseless impositions, sanctions, fines and fees when the Chinese, Malaysians and Indians are getting carte blanche approval and state-sponsored subsidies to export unprocessed logs.”

Mits,

Is there anyway the people on this board can send the GOG/the president a protest(email) about the Chinese destruction of Guyana's forest?

The Govt. already knows. They are fully Aware of what's happening. They are not going to do anything about it. One resident reportedly asked that Ramoutar should come and see for himself. He ain't going nowhere. The champion of the Earth will have to give permission first. That country is a mess. So Skelly bai, You could send all the e-mails you want and some smoke signals too, no one is going to listen.

The extent of the devastation stops you heart and makes you well up with tears. This is the desecration of our native soil by a known predator. Mitwah's parallel to Tibet is before us. Those like rev who said this is sustainable harvesting ought to re evaluate how they will or if the could deliver that lie for the PPP. This is naked, disrespectful, covetous, predation on a people with the full consent of a corrupt government. Note, these people do not have a license to harvest or export log as yet! This is all Robert's Persaud doing the bidding of Jagdeo with the full knowledge of Ramotar.

We need to find a way to halt this in its tracks. This is where the opposition can prove its worth. If ever there is an election message powerful to move people, this is a gift horse.

The government knows. 40 trucks a day passing through linden and another 20 from Kwakwani way cannot be hidden. This company does not have a license and is not approved by the EPA but this is what they do....they bribe local officials and rape the land.

I think the Commissioner of Forestry said they have a License to export, I could be wrong.

They would have to be fools to try and hide 50 Trucks and 25 heavy duty Equipments, Camps, Oil Storage Facility and things.  So I have to conclude they had the necessary approval.

* You PPP HATERS are just looking for an excuse to blast away at the PPP. Your new target is Bai Shan Lin. Like I mentioned in another thread, Norway is giving Guyana $250 million US to protect it's forest. The PPP maintains that loging by Bai Lin is being done in a prudent manner. And the Norwegians who are doling out the 250 million agree. Anyway, you PPP HATERS are free to continue posting nonsense.

Rev

Is the above and excuse or a sore on the rump that prevents sitting? The Norwegians have reduced their offer and it is highly unlikely much more is coming that is not in the pipeline. The Redd monitor is listing their dissent. You can lie to yourself but the world knows the truth...we are being pillaged by Bai Shan lin and the PPP crooks are watching it all happen with the full knowledge of the kickback the get. They do not care about the people.

The Environmental Protection Agency says Bai Shan Lin at present has no licence to log and harvest timber, hence no licence to export same. Bai needs an Environmental Authorization Permit to log and harvest, which the EPA hasn't issued yet because Bai is still in the "scoping" stage.

What Bai has so far is a State Forest Exploration Permit to do environmental and social impact assessment and only limited exploration logging.

Bai is getting around restrictions by teaming up with four companies which already possess licences to log, harvest and export. Bai is piggy-backing its illegally harvested timber on the products of those four companies.

So what is the problem. Is it illegal for them to work with other companies???

It's exploitation and circumventing the laws. How is BSL, a foreigner, able to work with other companies without the permission of the elected officials and authorization of the President?

Mits, If it is illegal then they should take them to Court. I think the bigger picture here and what we should be concern with is the Agreement/Contract signed between the Forestry Dept and Bai Shan. The Govt needs to come clean and make available this Agreement/Contract to the Public.

There is but one big picture. We are being screwed. I wonder if you got it that they are not paying anything for this? They argue they do not owe tax or royalties! Now that is indeed an exercise hollywood accounting if so many logs are leaving the shores ( why?) and we get zilch. Last year fishemen produced more than loggers! Yes those skinny Indian fellows in tiny ballawhoos braving the waves of the Atlantic are more adroit producers of the nations coin than these fellows with massive assets backed by humongous machines killing tens of hundreds of acres of trees!

There is but one big picture. We are being screwed

Yo, speak for yourself and I am happy for you BUT Uncle Nehru don't go that way. Straight as an Arrow.

I think APNU is on the right track with this issue. Stop the operation now and investigate. Look at Africa and Tibet. The Chinese have exploited these poor nations, raped their natural resources and became rich.

In Guyana, the silt will wash into the Berbice river and its tributaries, Abary and the Canje creek. This will cause massive flooding. The conservancy will not be able to hold back. If/when the dams break the entire coast line will be flooded. The threat of flood is not as great from the Ocean. Mark my word.

Mits, How you think they built Castles in England??

Part of Bai Shan Lin’s fleet of trucks and Loaders

Well, they will build castles in China now. I can't even say that Guyanese gon "hold wood" because there won't be any left to hold but Bharrat wood.

Maybe the GoG should ask the Chinese to reclaim the land by katahar trees.

Guyanese doan think that all the gold and timber are theirs. And they are being robbed by Jagan goons. The ordinary man doan seem to care. They need to wake up. Parliament alone cannot stop these thieves of our resources. The people have to come out and stop the Chinese and their government who are Chinese of heart disguised as Guyanese. 

Bai Shan Lin ignores local requirement in exporting Locust wood to China

Unprocessed Locust and Crabwood should first satisfy local demand before any such wood can be exported overseas; but this is not the case with Bai Shan Lin. It has been found that the company is planning to export over the course of the next six months, 250,000BM of Locust wood, despite local operators approaching them to buy.

Some of the locust wood ready for shipment to China while local demand is being ignored

On Monday last, Haimorakabra Logging Inc, one of Bai Shan Lin’s companies, wrote to the Guyana Manufacturers and Services Association (GM&SA) to indicate its intention to ship the lumber. Haimorakabra Logging Inc. is now owned by Bai Shan Lin International Forest Development Inc. A representative from a local company had approached the company last week to purchase some of the Locust wood for local consumption. This publication has since been told that Gao Yuan, Manager of the Chinese-owned operations reportedly expressed shock that the Locust wood was advertised for sale since he indicated that it was destined for export to China. According to the letter of intention addressed to GMSA’s President, Clinton Williams, by Yuan, the company intends to ship the wood to Heilongjiang Baishanlin Wood Company Ltd., in China. Government had initially not made known what exactly are their arrangements with Bai Shan Lin. The company is now facing investigations by the Opposition after revelations that it is involved in large-scale logging, even allegedly hiding behind third parties to mask the exports. There have been questions over the company’s involvement in Guyana, with the Ministry of Natural Resources and the Environment appearing in Parliament to answer questions. A look at export figures, unofficially supplied, indicated that for the first half of 2013, some 30,000 cubic metres of timber products were exported. For the first half of 2014, this figure rose to over 50,000 cubic metres. This would be significant as Guyana has introduced what is known as a disincentive scheme – a gradually increasing tax and royalty scheme. Despite the increase in tax, the exports have shot up. The Guyana Forestry Commission itself has not explained the rise in the exports, but industry insiders said that Bai Shan Lin is playing a major part in this. The deals with the company were reportedly signed during the period when former President Bharrat Jagdeo was heavily promoting his Low Carbon Development Strategy which among other things targeted increased tracking of illegal logging.

At the current rate, Guyana will have no wood left. They will end up with katahar:

The Chinese will leave Guyana with a Chinese Brush:

Several other Chinese companies also exporting

- manufacturing association holds emergency meeting on Bai Shan Lin

The exposure of the Bai Shan Lin logging activities in Guyana has led to more revelations. On Monday, during a fly over by Kaieteur News of the Linden/Ituni/Kwakwani trail in Region 10, several logging activities were in progress. At a location between Ituni and Kwakwani, and not far from Aroaima Mining Company, two container trucks were being loaded. The logs were strictly of the prime Wamara species which is in hot demand by especially Chinese companies.

Two 40-foot containers of Wamara logs being loaded on Monday in the Aroaima area, Region 10, by a small Chinese logging outfit.

A young Chinese national was on the ground overseeing the packing of the logs into the containers by the loader. When asked if he was part of the Bai Shan Lin group, he smiled and in a jovial manner said, “No…no…me company have own business.” When further questioned, he disclosed that his company is shipping at least 10 containers per month. He gladly gave his name as “Cly”. According to “Cly”, his operation is concentrating only on Wamara, a wood that is renowned for its exotic-looking flooring, walls and furniture. Some of the logs on the ground were marked with official looking numbers but without the tags of the Guyana Forestry Commission (GFC). The ones in the containers had tags, though. According to “Cly”, there are other Chinese companies scattered across Guyana and involved in gold mining also. There have been growing questions over the extent of logging activities in Guyana with the glare of the spotlight falling on Bai Shan Lin a few weeks ago after a Parliamentary Committee questioned Government about the arrangements. Figures indicate a more than 50 per cent increase in exports of forest products for the first half of the year as compared to 2013, despite a significant hike in the tax and royalties being charged by GFC. Earlier this week, huge piles of logs and significant activities were seen at Bai Shan Lin locations in Kwakwani, Upper Berbice River in Region 10. The activities are being described as unprecedented in terms of the level of equipment being used and the number of logs – Wamara and Purpleheart being the preferred choices- that are being harvested. The situation triggered alarm with the members of the Guyana Manufacturing and Services Association (GM&SA) holding an emergency meeting yesterday to discuss the issue.

This Chinese national, whose name is “Cly”

The association’s members include operators in the forestry sector. GM&SA’s President, Clinton Williams, who also chairs the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission, has now been tasked with preparing a letter to President Donald Ramotar, asking for copies of the investment agreement with Bai Shan Lin to be released. Among other things, GM&SA members want to know details of Bai Shan Lin’s joint ventures with companies and other parties that are in possession of forestry concessions. Government will also be requested to submit details of log exports by Bai Shan Lin for the last five years. Kaieteur News was told that the members want the letter to be sent as soon as possible to the President in light of the revelations. In addition to Bai Shan Lin, there is a company called Rong-An Inc, which is also a Chinese company and Vaitarna Holdings, an Indian-owned operator that has been exporting logs too. GFC Commissioner, James Singh, last week, following the publications of damning photos of Bai Shan Lin operations, claimed that the Chinese company had only exported 375 containers between January and June. This translated to an average of two containers per day. However, industry insiders and residents alike have refuted this saying it is more like 20 per day. Bai Shan Lin, from all indications, has been using third parties to export, to mask the true extent of its logging operations. The company has since released what it claims to be details of its investment and its operations in Guyana.

Oy, I ain't no expert on trees, but dis definitely is not a katahar tree. Look more like koya to me. Is wha' kinda berbician you really is.  you sure you from Guyana, bai?

Gilly you Dog, Yuh gat yuh eyes on bharat wood.

HEHEHE  Bhai YUgi you in trouble. When a Town man who never touch grass questioning you, you know you are in problem. This particular Town man never saw a blade of grass in hid yard.