Western businesses here feared ‘poor practices’ of Chinese forest companies

Karen Williams

Western businesses feared that the poor practices of Chinese companies in the forestry sector could become entrenched but were reluctant to work with senior government officials due to potential political ramifications.

In August 2008, then US Chargé d’Affaires Karen Williams at the Embassy in Georgetown, in a cable to Washington, reported that the regulatory body, the Guyana Forestry Commission (GFC) had expanded its mission in a way that puts the profitability of the industry and sustainable management of Guyana’s vast forest resources at risk. The cable was part of a trove released by the whistle-blowing site, Wikileaks last week.

Williams said that in addition to regulating the industry and awarding concessions, the GFC believed it was the