Dear Editor,
I am bemused by the article in your paper (Gov’t drops tax on fuel for miners by 10 %’ SN, January 15). This decision by the government comes only a week after the Miners Association (GGDMA) met with APNU and expressed their frustration that the playing field is not level, ie, foreigners are getting incentives including duty-free fuel denied to Guyanese miners.
Well an identical situation occurs in the timber industry. It is alleged that these Asian owned companies who are here exporting our prime logs in huge volume on a weekly basis are getting similar incentives that Guyanese do not enjoy. Hundreds of trucks are imported duty free (many hauling sand daily on the East Bank road for a private housing development) but more importantly are getting duty-free fuel. In fact I have also noticed a bulk storage diesel tank being erected by one these Asians at Land of Canaan, and I must be candid, I am very worried about what I suspect will take place upon completion.
Clearly it is prudent for us value-added timber processors to meet with APNU also.
Yours faithfully,
Howard Bulkan
