The Forest Products Association  (FPA)  wants to meet with Minister of Agriculture Robert Persaud to examine  ways in which measures can be put in place to assist them in coping with challenges  brought about by   the current slump in the global housing markets which has directly  impacted on  timber export demands and pricing.

“This  has already been voiced in the recent remarks by the local manufacturing and shipping industries. It is a very volatile  market with no guarantees,” the FPA said in a press release yesterday.

It  also noted that the body expects to engage the minister very soon to discuss areas where it can be given some immediate relief to cope with the current challenges.

The FPA said further that they  will continue to seek the intervention of the government to review the  practices of the Guyana Forestry Commission in “managing and regulating the forestry sector and to give greater support to the forestry sector especially during the current global financial and market crisis.”

It is during this dire state, the FPA declared,   that it is seeking the strong partnership and support of the Government of Guyana  and other  stakeholders. The FPA  also gave assurance  that despite the present global financial crisis where companies are failing or on the verge of doing so, its member companies are prepared to make sacrifices  to sustain the sector in order to minimize the retrenchment of employees.

However, despite  the present worsening global financial and market crisis, the FPA said it remained  committed to  sustaining  the forestry  sector in partnership with the government and  other relevant stakeholders for the benefit of the country.

Meanwhile, the FPA noted that  the Minister of Agriculture who has  responsibility for forestry has been instrumental in initiating the dialogue process that can form the basis for such partnership and support.  “In our discourse with the minister’s office we have stated that the FPA is cognizant and committed to  the importance of Sustainable Forest Management (SFM) and shares the internationally accepted broad-based view on this matter.”

According to the FPA, its   understanding of SFM is that it “addresses the social, environmental and economical aspect of forestry practices. Often the latter is overlooked which has a direct impact on the social and even the environmental aspects.”

The  FPA made it clear that its  goal and vision “is to achieve this quality of practice but the enabling environment must be established and maintained.”