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FM
Former Member

Company authorised to export logs – James Singh

AUGUST 8, 2014 | BY  | FILED UNDER NEWS 

 

The Commissioner of Forests, James Singh, has responded to an article appearing in this newspaper’s August 7 edition which referred to the operations of Bai Shan Lin with respect to various requirements in relation to Guyana’s logging laws.
The following is Mr. Singh’s response in its entirety:
The Guyana Forestry Commission (GFC) refers to an article in the Thursday August 7 2014 edition of Kaieteur News under the caption: “Bai Shan Lin circumvents Guyana’s logging laws… Ships Billions $$$$ of high priced logs monthly”.
GFC, as the Government of Guyana Agency responsible for the sustainable management of the state forest advises the general public that this article is riddled with false assumptions and misinformation; to ensure that stakeholders are provided with the undisputable facts, GFC is compelled to respond to this unprofessional article.

Natural Resources Minister, Robert Persaud

Natural Resources Minister, Robert Persaud

Firstly, GFC asserts that there is no circumventing of Guyana’s logging laws by Bai Shan Lin (BSL) or any other forestry sector based company. The GFC has very robust and functional systems, procedures and guidelines which all forest sector companies are audited against; if there are any breaches to these, appropriate action is taken based on the findings of a thorough investigation and in accordance with the forest law.
The statement the BSL does not have an actual license for the exportation of logs is simply not factual. BSL has two State Forest Exploratory Permits (SFEP’s); Section 9 (2) (b) of the Forests Act 2009 allows for the harvesting of forest produce from SFEP’s for limited commercial purposes and BSL can then export this produce in log form if it so chooses, in accordance with the National Log Export Policy.
GFC also has very effective and thorough export procedures in place- all forest produce to be exported must be verified by a GFC Grading Inspector and the required documentation must be properly completed and verified prior to export. The GFC Internal Audit Unit also carries out very detailed checks at strategic locations including the ports of export to verify that there is compliance with the GFC protocols.
Contrary to the false impression portrayed, BSL and its JV partners have exported a total of 375 containers for the period January – June 2014; this is not something confined to BSL since many other large companies are also exporting logs in appreciable quantities.
Export, however, was in keeping with the National Log Export Policy. It must be remembered that this policy was developed consultatively by stakeholders, the majority of whom supported an increase in the rate of the export commission, rather than a complete ban on log exports as suggested by the GFC.
The allegation that BSL has opted for joint venture deals (JV) with other companies to circumvent the GFC requirements is also without merit.
GFC Board of Directors as part of its work plan holds regular meetings with stakeholder groups across the country.

Commissioner of Forests, James Singh

Commissioner of Forests, James Singh

At these meetings, one of the prominent concerns was the inadequate capacity of concessionaires (mainly locals) to beneficially occupy areas and produce sufficient quantities of logs/lumber for the local construction industry, as well as for the local added value manufacturers, and for export.
The Concessionaires themselves proposed two short term measures to address this, namely:
GFC to allow joint venture arrangements after the requisite due diligence was done, and GFC was satisfied that the JV had merit
GFC to allow companies that lacked adequate and/or appropriate machinery to rent same from third parties in a structured and properly monitored/regulated manner.
Based on these requests by the sector; the need to improve log/lumber/added value production, and generate additional employment opportunities, and being assured by the GFC that its monitoring systems would ensure that the allowable harvest levels would not be exceeded, the GFC Board approved both requests.
GFC has since facilitated both requests in accordance with the legislation and a very transparent and organized procedure.
For example, it was collaboratively agreed (stakeholders/GFC/ GFC Board) that the procedure for the review of joint venture requests would be as follows:
A request to enter into a joint venture arrangement needs to be made by the company/individual that has legal access to state forest
A thorough background assessment would be done on the company that is seeking to joint venture with the one that has the legal access to the forested land
This assessment would be used to guide the GFC in making its recommendations to the GFC Board Technical Sub-Committee
The GFC Technical Sub-Committee after their review would submit a recommendation to the GFC Board of Directors.
The GFC Board then makes its recommendation as to whether to approve/disapprove the joint venture.
This is in keeping with Section 16 of the Forests Act 2009.
BSL has entered into approved JV’s following this process, contrary to the “landlording” and “illegality “assertion by Global Timber. Another incorrect assertion is the pronouncement that “BSL has been granted a forestry concession that amounts to close to one million hectares of rainforest”… BSL has legal access to 627,072 ha as shown below:
344,849 ha as State Forest Exploratory Permits (SFEP’s) – an Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA); a Forest Inventory (FI), and a Business Plan have to be submitted to the satisfaction of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and GFC before a Timber Sales Agreement (TSA) is granted which allows for full scale harvesting in accordance with GFC guidelines is approved
274,053 ha as Timber Sales Agreement Joint Venture Agreements 8,170 ha as State Forest Permissions
This has been widely publicized in the print and electronic media and BSL has been written to instructing them to correct the erroneous claim that they have access to 960,000 ha.
The article also alludes that GFC is taking a back seat in these matters; this is bordering on the ridiculous since the GFC takes its mandate of “ensuring sustainable forestry” very seriously; something that is recognized not only nationally, but regionally and globally.
GFC would again appeal to stakeholders, especially those in the public media, to verify the facts before publicizing erroneous information.”

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Bai Shan Lin circumvents Guyana’s logging laws…Ships Billions $$$$ of high priced logs monthly

August 7, 2014 | By | Filed Under News 

By Latoya Giles Even though Bai Shan Lin International Forest Development Inc. is yet to actually receive a logging licence, the company has teamed up with four companies in joint ventures to export billions of dollars worth in timber monthly. One official from the Guyana Forestry Commission 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. In that permit Bai Shan Lin is required to do an environmental and social assessment study. The company is also required to do a forestry inventory and business plan which is to be submitted to the Environment Protection Agency (EPA). To circumvent the requirements, Bai Shan Lin has opted for the joint venture deals with Karbana Wood, Wiacho, Haimora Kabra and Paruni Wood Inc. The official said that as it is right now, there should be limited exploration logging. It was noted that not much is done at the level of the Forestry Commission. “Most things fall under the Ministry of Natural Resources now,” the official told Kaieteur News. In June Bai Shan Lin submitted an application to the Environmental Protection Agency seeking environmental authorization to undertake a large scale logging and sawmill operation. According to the public notice which was published, 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 transportation of same to a processing facility. They 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 impacts” on the environment. Thus, in keeping with the Environmental Protections Act of 1996, an “Environmental Impact Assessment” is required before any decision 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 to it, setting out questions and matters which they required to be answered or considered in the “Environmental Impact Assessment”. It is unclear whether they have completed everything 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, it sought permission to dig up a 20-kilometre stretch of river to look for gold. Other plans include setting up what it is calling 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. The state information agency, GINA had reported that Bai Shan Lin has been in Guyana over the past eight years with operations through the Bai Shan Lin Forest Development Inc. These include Haimorakabra Logging, Karlam South America Timbers, Wood Associated Industries, Kwebanna Wood Productions, Sherwood Forests, Bai Shan Lin Housing Construction, Mining development Inc. and Bai Shan Lin Ship Building and Heavy Industries Inc. It has been contended that the law does not allow one logging company to take over another, unless the President so agrees. On Redd-monitor.org, it was stated that in November 2012, Chu Wenze, the 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. The company’s 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. The 11 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). In November 2012, Whu Wenze and David Dabydeen, Guyana’s Ambassador to China, took part in a signing ceremony for a loan from the Chinese Development Bank for Bai Shan Lin’s forestry projects in Guyana. According to the website Global Timber, Bai Shan Lin’s concessions were acquired from other concession holders, a process known as “landlording” which is illegal in Guyana (unless officially authorised by the President). Under Guyanese law, forest concessions cannot be traded, but must be re-advertised by the Forestry Commission in an open auction. Bai Shan Lin also ignored a cease order issued by the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission at a sand excavation pit in Moblissa. The company has received no permission for excavation work in the area and this was the third time that the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission had cause to issue a cease order. Bai Shan Lin also started construction of a road, without any permission. Despite the company’s record, among its supporters is Guyana’s ex-President Bharrat Jagdeo, red-monitor.org stated. Jagdeo’s photograph was included in Chu Wenze’s presentation, as part of the Guyanese Project Promotion Team for an Economic and Trading Cooperation Park that Bai Shan Lin is developing in Guyana

Mitwah

Imagine they are doing all of this and they do not have a licence to harvest lumber! And why is there not a move in parliament to prevent companies like this from buying up leases held by others. The PPP will farm out leases to their cronies who later resell it for huge profits to these companies.

 

It is not like we do not know of how these companies work. We know it from the early 90's. The rainforest network has a long and detailed history of the strategy to ignore laws, trample on native people's lands and leaving behind a wake of destruction to forests and devastation to cultural lives not to mention complete crippling of local economies when these companies come into a region.

 

And since they are Chinese company the come with additional burdens of predation. The never hire locals, never buy local, never build local but simply spend to extract.

FM

Bai Shan Lin circumvents Guyana’s logging laws…Ships Billions $$$$ of high priced logs monthly

August 7, 2014 | By | Filed Under News 
 
Wonder what are his kickback? maybe an entire year of Payment to all working folks of Guyana who has been on 'slave wages' for the longest while. Compliments of the Corrupt PPP/C
FM

Note, the Chinese collect rent in the millions for their Pandas on display in foreign lands, gets a cut of all merchandizing, prohibits any baby pandas born outside china from remaining outside china...and these bastards do not owe us for our trees!

FM
Originally Posted by Stormborn:

Note, the Chinese collect rent in the millions for their Pandas on display in foreign lands, gets a cut of all merchandizing, prohibits any baby pandas born outside china from remaining outside china...and these bastards do not owe us for our trees!

The PPP would sell dem own mudda to the chinese if they could.

FM

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