Guyana and the wider world

Today’s column considers the (ab)use of forestry concessions as tradable commodities by Asian FDI-benefiting (Foreign Direct Investment) companies, practices that are against forest law and policy in Guyana.

Why is trading against policy? Because the April 1993 Guyana Forestry Commission (GFC) policy says that,

* “It is the policy of the Government of Guyana that its forest shall be managed on a sustainable basis and in an environmentally sound manner to produce the maximum benefits for the people of Guyana” – that is, the maximum net social benefit to which I have referred often.

* The 1993 policy also says, “No additional areas will be granted to Timber Sales Agreement (TSA) holders until they have demonstrated their ability to work existing concessions for maximum sustained yield” and “Failure to work a concession