GEORGETOWN, Guyana, Sept 2, CMC – The Guyana Government plans to expand the forestry concession held by small loggers and firewood cutters on the East Bank of Berbice by 5,000 acres, while reorganising their association to create greater opportunities for residents.
Minister of Natural Resources Vickram Bharrat made the announcement during a meeting with loggers and residents of Mara on Friday.
The existing association holds approximately 8,500 acres, with the government proposing an additional 5,000 acres to accommodate growth in membership and allow more people to benefit from the concession.
But he said the association must first be reorganised, with concerns raised about its operations, including the failure to renew its concession for the past two years, the distribution of taxes collected and the absence of regular meetings and elections.
As an immediate step, the Guyana Forestry Commission will meet with the firewood association and other small associations operating on the East Bank of Berbice on September 27 in Mara to facilitate the formation of a new East Bank association and the election of an executive team.
“We have agreed on a number of ways forward in which we’re going to address some of the challenges and issues. However, most of the challenges that exist among them revolve basically around the functioning of the association and members of the association working together,” Bharrat said.
He said once the new association and executive are established, the government would move to extend the concession.
“After that is done, we made a commitment that we can extend the concession that they presently hold,” he said.
Bharrat also said the government was considering opportunities for members of the association to become involved in mining through a medium-scale mining block, allowing them to pursue mining alongside logging.
The government is also planning skills-training initiatives to create additional economic opportunities in the community.
Bharrat announced plans for a furniture-making facility on the East Bank of Berbice, with the Guyana Forestry Commission providing training in the production of school furniture, wardrobes, cabinets and kitchen cupboards.
A free jewellery-making course is also expected to be offered in Berbice before the end of the year, with the aim of equipping participants with skills that could lead to entrepreneurship or employment with established jewellery businesses.
Bharrat said the initiatives are intended to broaden economic opportunities for communities whose livelihoods have traditionally centred on farming and forestry.
“I’m very pleased with the outcome. I’m very pleased with the momentum that we had today and the feedback as well from residents and loggers,” he said.
CMC/ed/26