Dear Editor,
Doesn’t it seem odd that Bai Shin Lin has remained silent during the national debates concerning misuse use of their forestry concessions and Guyana’s forestry resources? Isn’t it strange too that the Guyana Forestry Commission, government representatives, individuals and groups aligned to the governing administration have become the spokespersons for Bai Shi Lin?
Well as the saying goes the person paying the piper requests the tunes, this strange silence is not only indicative of how the company does business but it is clear that it is part of a coordinated effort to mislead Guyanese into thinking that Bai Shin Lin is doing so good for small loggers and local saw mills and that the company’s illegalities should be overlooked.
What makes Bai Sin Lin so special that it does not have to directly engage with the Guyanese public? Or is it that the company does not have a public relations officer or its representatives are unable to speak English, yet they communicate in their daily operations with English-speaking Guyanese?
Imagine the President of the United States of America assuming the role of Public Relations Officer or consultant for a foreign investor – that would be strange and very unlikely. What is even more hurtful is that this same government does not speak out and show the same strong interest in many domestic affairs affecting the populace, for example, police corruption, low public sector wages and salaries, trafficking-in-persons, a high incidence of youth crime – and the list goes on.
Imagine in 2014 we have a government more interested in the well-being of foreign companies and nationals than that of a vast majority of its population. Let me take this time to remind the government that words are just that, words. Actions in the interest of all Guyanese speak louder than any press conference or presidential address.
Yours faithfully,
Mike Archer
