The Guyana Forestry Commission (GFC) yesterday announced the award of two brand-new concessions to the Ituni Small Loggers Association (ISLA).
The Department of Public Information (DPI) said that the 12, 500 acres in Berbice and 9,933 acres in Demerara, will be available to the loggers as soon as they sign their contracts with the Forestry Commission and also finish the demarcation process.
At a meeting yesterday, GFC’s Corporate Secretary, Attorney Jacey Archibald said where usually groups are allowed only one concession, the commission’s technical committee took into account the good stewardship demonstrated by ISLA, fully utilising existing areas.
“They took into account the manner in which you have been able to honour your obligations to the commission, including the paying of debts. In light of that, we recognise as well that your membership is growing and therefore, there is a need for you have more areas to be able to more effectively carry out and sustain yourselves,” Archibald said, according to DPI.
Archibald said the ISLA will have to consider the responsibilities that will come with the merging of the two concessions.
“Since anything over 8,097 hectares falls into the parameter of large concession and carries different rules and regulations, treated differently to that of small concessions including the payment of fees and increased reporting requirements.”
The announcement came three weeks after Minister of Natural Resources Raphael Trotman had met with the loggers, who had then expressed concerns over their inability to carry out logging activities due to the exhausting of their allotted tags. So far, the association has used up over 13,000 tags issued by the GFC, including almost 50% of their 2020 allotment.
Trotman said there may be some remaining tags that could be issued to the loggers, DPI said.
