Regional participation for CARIFESTA gaining momentum
Georgetown, GINA, January 14, 2008
Participation in the Tenth Caribbean Festival of Arts (CARIFESTA) is showing some encouraging signs as a series of inquiries from participants around the Region are pouring in.
The CARIFESTA Secretariat on Middle Street, the main coordinating body for the festival has already received information from some participants on their interest areas.
Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport Dr. Frank Anthony has been urging interested parties to indicate at an early stage their proposed inputs in the festival.
To date, Barbados, Anguilla, Dominica, Turks and Cacaos Islands, Trinidad and Tobago and Antigua have already signalled all areas of participation in the festival which will be held during August 22 to 31.
The secretariat has also been given signs of hope in the area of sponsorship as a number of inquiries are being made from the Region and beyond about their interests in sponsorship.
Head of the Secretariat Colonel Lyndon Ross in an invited comment noted that a number of individual groups are also interested in participating. He cited Suriname and Canada where these requests have so far originated.
An estimated 100 cultural events, including an opening and closing ceremony earmarked for the Guyana National Stadium at Providence will be featured for CARIFESTA.
These include the performing, culinary, literary and visual arts, community festivals, grand market, fashion focus, single events, super concerts, symposia on youth and indigenous people among others.
Participation will also include some of the best pieces of art work from the region’s youth. The Ministry in partnership with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) will soon host a Regional Children’s Art Competition for CARIFESTA.
Minister Anthony had recently made a strong call for several local participants in the performing arts to come to the forefront, since this segment of the festival will be the main highlight.
The Minister noted that although most of the participants are known, gathering a wide spectrum of them is still needed and can be identified if individuals show themselves voluntarily.
At the launch of CARIFESTA in October which was held at the conclusion of the 16th Meeting of the Council for Human and Social Development (COHSOD XVI), Regional Heads including Caricom Secretary General Dr. Edwin Carrington promised the Region’s support.
The world is already preview to Guyana’s preparations for CARIFESTA through its website, www.carifesta.net which has been up since October 2007. It features a photo gallery, press room, a history page, and access to advertising, accommodation and registration, news and other details.
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Heightened focus on marketing information to boost exports
Georgetown, GINA, January 14, 2008.
Heightened emphasis is being placed on the development of more strategies that will provide farmers with better marketing information to increase production, productivity and agricultural exports from Guyana.
At present, efforts are being made to establish and upgrade a Farmers’ Database at the Guyana Marketing Corporation (GMC) that will better inform the agency on the types of crops available, amount and locations.
This, according to GMC’s General Manager Nizam Hassan will enable the Corporation to better advise buyers and create more market linkages with farmers and other producers. Technical officers from the GMC, Ministry of Agriculture’s Extension Services Unit and the National Agricultural Research Institute (NARI) are currently soliciting necessary information from farmers to set up the system.
In addition, farmers are being encouraged to take-on a more market-driven approach with regard to production so that there will be guaranteed markets for their crops. They are also being urged to explore the cultivation of other crops especially those which are in high demand on the local and international markets. Under the Poor Rural Communities Support Project (PRCSSP), NARI has worked with farmers to introduce several crops being demanded on the markets such as pineapples, plantains and pumpkins.
Through agencies such as the NARI, various departments of the Agriculture Ministry and GMC, training programmes have been conducted to increase farmers’ knowledge.
These initiatives are in keeping with Government’s thrust to boost the agricultural sector so that farmers can enjoy more benefits and improve their livelihood, while the economy will continue to grow.
Last year, the GMC launched its Marketing Information Centre which facilitates and coordinates development of non-traditional agricultural produce for export. It has made market information and contact more accessible to guide clients on current market trends and demand at the global level.
At the Centre, market agents provide guidance for possible linkages between farmers and prospective buyers/exporters. This approach contributes directly to Government’s goal to achieve optimum production in the country’s non-traditional agricultural sector and to make the agri-business sector more efficient.
GMC plays an instrumental role in the export of non-traditional produce to Barbados, Antigua and St. Lucia. The corporation is currently working to develop a similar link with Trinidad and Tobago. It was through the GMC, that market linkages were formed with different buyers from the United States of America for peppers, plantain and corn flour.
Exports of non-traditional produce for 2007 recorded a 25 percent increase in fresh produce when compared to the previous year. The two leading crops exported were watermelons and plantains.
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Original birth certificate, valid passport needed for registration
Georgetown, GINA, January 14, 2008
In order for Guyanese who will be 14 years and older on or before June 30, 2008 to be registered for the upcoming Local Government Elections, they must present the original copies of documents as required by the registration clerks.
Public Relations Officer of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) Vishnu Persaud said that the Commission’s public awareness campaign started two weeks prior to the commencement of the registration exercise advising of the supporting source documents that would be accepted as proof of identity. The registration clerks will only accept the documents stated.
The acceptable source documents are; an original birth certificate or a valid passport and if there was a name change due to marriage or by deed poll, the original deed poll or marriage certificate must be presented along with the original birth certificate. Naturalized citizens will have to present the original naturalization certificate and an original birth certificate or valid passport.
GECOM is advising that the following are not acceptable as proof of identity; baptismal certificates, expired passports, photocopies of birth and marriage certificates or deed poll, identification cards from previous registration exercises, documents from priest, elders, head teachers Village Captains/Toshaos and Justices of the Peace.
Political parties had questioned the accuracy of the lists used for previous elections claiming that multiple registrations resulted from accepting documents other than those that are required this year.
Persons eligible to register but not in possession of the relevant documents are urged to take immediate steps to acquire the necessary documents to facilitate their registration. The registration exercise commenced on January 7 and is scheduled to conclude on July 4.
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Lowering VAT will result in higher fiscal deficit and higher interest rates
-Guyana cannot afford this-President emphasises
Georgetown, GINA, January 14, 2008
Head of State Bharrat Jagdeo has pointed out that reducing the Value Added Tax (VAT) rate from 16 percent will result in a higher fiscal deficit in the country and this will have a domino effect on interest rates and pressure on the exchange rate which will result in businesses being affected.
The President was speaking at a recent press briefing where he alluded to calls by several Opposition Parties and other sections of the society who have been calling for a reduction of the VAT rate implemented last year.
“I’m sometimes unimpressed and amused by some politicians who do several things. They fight against the 16 percent rate. But these people (the Opposition Parties) were sitting in Parliament, agreeing every year to amending the Customs Order and the Consumption Tax Order, and on those same items or most of the items-over 475 items-those items that are now on the list that attract a 16 percent,” President Jagdeo said.
The Head of State also lamented that Opposition Party members in Parliament also agreed over the years to the 30 percent Consumption Tax and did not see the need to protest then, especially at that time when the tax burden on most goods was higher than it is today.
“But why are they making noise about it? Because it’s a popular issue, because people now see what they are paying when in the past they didn’t. It was captured in the prices of the commodity.”
As for those who are calling for the rate to be lowered and who say that a country like Guyana does not need VAT, the President referred to one of the islands closest to Guyana, Trinidad and Tobago (T&T) , which he says has a 15 percent VAT rate although it is an oil-producing State.
“A substantial part of their wealth comes from oil there. They have a wash of money today flowing into the country because of oil, but they have a 15 percent VAT rate….so if T&T needs VAT to run the country, to go into its revenue to meet all of its expenditure, how could a country like ours not need a comparable rate?” he queried.
President Jagdeo said Guyana still runs a fiscal deficit although this has been decreasing while other countries are dealing with fiscal surpluses.
“People should say what a fiscal deficit means to some of these people who are advocating this, because if we reduce the rates and we have to run a higher fiscal deficit, it means we put more pressure on the exchange rate and we put more pressure on the interest rates, so it will affect businesses in the long-run because interest rates will go up or the exchange rate will depreciate,” he added.
In order to cushion the effect the current cost of living has been having on especially the poorer class of the Guyanese population, the President recently announced an increase in the Income Tax threshold which will see 36,000 persons being taken off the tax net. The threshold which was increased to $28,000 in 2007, has now moved to $35,000.
This move by the administration the President said is to ensure that the poor and vulnerable benefit directly.
The administration has also, in efforts to assist the poor increased old age pension from $3,675 monthly to $6,000 while public assistance recipients will now receive $4,500 instead of $2,470.
The increase in pension and public assistance is slated to benefit 50,000 persons.
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President receives credentials from new El Salvador Ambassador
Georgetown, GINA, January 14, 2008
Guyana now has a new Ambassador from the Republic of El Salvador. Ambassador Carlos Mauricio Pineda Cruz today presented his credentials to President Bharrat Jagdeo in the credentials room at the Office of the President.
The new Ambassador has been serving in a number of additional posts including Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador of El Salvador to Trinidad and Tobago; Chief of Staff to the Vice Minister of Foreign Relations, Integration, and Economic Promotion in the Ministry of Foreign Relations in El Salvador from February to November 2006;Minister Counsellor in the Embassy of El Salvador to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Asociate Consultant for projects related to the implementation of El Salvador’s Peace Agreements.
He holds a Master’s Degree in Science in Public Policy in Latin America and a Bachelor of Arts Degree with honours in Political Science among other qualifications.
El Salvador is located in Central America and consists of one of the largest populations in that Region, with approximately 6.9 million people.
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Prison Service more prepared to prevent prison breaks
-Director of Prisons
Georgetown, GINA, January 14, 2008
Head of the Guyana Prisons Service (GPS) Dale Erskine has reiterated the importance of security at all prison locations with infrastructure and training taking priority this year.
Erskine expressed optimism that the GPS is in a better position to prevent prison breaks. Last year the prisons suffered from two ‘break outs’.
“Last year had its little bit of turbulence and I would say, energized by the two escapes, one in January and in August. Since then we have put a number of interventions in place structurally, technologically, administratively and operationally. I think we are much better today in terms of our security focus and ability to have the prison more secured,” Erskine said.
Government has made several interventions to improve the capabilities of the prison service to prevent such occurrences and this Erskine said, will significantly aid in the service mandate.
“Interventions by the government have also allowed us to improve our capabilities. This year we intend to strengthen that capability. We are now building a facility in the Georgetown Prison that would house another 180 inmates, to reduce to some extent the overcrowding at the prison. …Some of the buildings were strengthened,” the Director of Prisons pointed-out.
Minister of Home Affairs Clement Rohee in October last year announced that government allocated $40M for the construction of a two-storey building to ease overcrowding at the Georgetown prison. Construction on the building will start early this year.
Opposition parties have been calling on government to build another prison in Georgetown to address overcrowding.
Government believes that a concerted action must be taken to stop the overcrowding in the Camp Street prison by reducing the number of re-offenders and developing more efficient measures for rehabilitation.
Meanwhile, Esrkine said during this year more focus will be placed on training for prison officers to a higher level of efficiency.
“Officers training is very important and this year heavy focus will be on institutional, specialized training and to some extent we will explore the possibility of overseas training. We are also building our training school at Lusignan Prison and I guess when that is completed, we will be in a better position to deliver our training mandate in a much more effective manner,” Erskine asserted.
The prison service recently had some promotions which will allow the GPS to recruit more officers.
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Improved international cooperation, a main focus of Foreign Trade Ministry in 2007
Georgetown, GINA, January 4, 2008
The Ministry of Foreign Trade and International Cooperation successfully negotiated major bilateral agreements during 2007, among which was the negotiation with Brazil that resulted in that country’s government passing an Order paving the way for Guyana’s exports to South America’s largest nation to receive some level of preference, through the Bonfim route.
Previously the official Port of Entry was at Boa Vista, but Guyana’s move to have this changed was as a result of the Bonfim-Lethem/Georgetown Highway which is under construction. This is expected to be completed this year.
According to Minister of Foreign Trade and International Cooperation Dr Henry Jeffrey this new agreement, will see trade between the two countries significantly strengthened. Guyana’s export capacity to Brazil through the Boa Vista route had been negligible, mainly because of the high transportation cost incurred.
The first session of the Guyana Barbados Joint Commission met in Georgetown during October. This meeting saw the two sides discussing and agreeing to specific areas of co-operation. Inter agency linkages were also established to cater for collaboration between the two sides.
The establishment of clear lines of communication between the immigration officials of both countries to deal with related issues was one of the major achievements of the meeting.
A delegation from Trinidad and Tobago was in Guyana for a one-week visit to examine ways in which the Jagdeo Initiative for food security for the Caribbean could be implemented. The met with several government Ministers and visited the areas identified for agricultural development.
The Ministry conducted sensitisation workshops for the public and private sector to prepare them to deal with the challenges of exporting and the development of strategic plans to improve and expand the export of professional services from Guyana. The workshops were geared to equip persons to exploit the marketplace since service provision and delivery is fast becoming an important aspect of world trade.
Guyana faced challenges with inter-regional trade; the non compliance with the treaty which governs the Common External Tariff (CET) by some CARICOM member states was highlighted by Guyana at the 23rd Council for Trade and Economic Development COTED meeting held in St Lucia in May.
Minister Jeffrey who represented Guyana at that meeting expressed Guyana’s dissatisfaction with the continued inadequate data submissions of several CARICOM member States, to the Council for Trade and Economic Development (COTED). This, coupled with a blatant disregard for the rules as it relates to the application of the correct duty on rice from extra-regional sources was denounced by the Minister.
The need for a method that exposes non-compliant States, thereby encouraging them to conform to the treaty, was highlighted.
The Secretariat’s report had revealed that imports of 4,031 tonnes of cargo parboiled rice from the United States of America had not attracted the 25 percent import duty from St Vincent and the Grenadines while there was no request for a suspension of the CET from that country or any other member State.
A decision was taken to have a study conducted to determine the difficulties which result in the untimely and inefficient compilation and submission of data by member States. The Regional Task Force on Rice was requested to also review this issue and make recommendations at the next regular COTED meeting.
Negotiations for a new Economic Partnership Agreement between CARIFORUM member states and the European Union occupied a great portion of the efforts of the Ministry during the year.
The scrapping of the Sugar Protocol and Contonou agreements by the European Union before agreement was reached on the new Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) received condemnation from Regional Heads.
December 16 saw agreement being reached between the European Commission and the Regional Negotiating Machinery on the new EPA which will be applied by the European Commission provisionally from January 1, 2008 while the CARIFORUM countries (of which Guyana is a part) will have until April 15, 2008 to commence application.
The agreement clears the way for European-funded technical assistance for tax reforms to reduce CARIFORUM States' reliance on trade taxes; a three-year moratorium will be applied in each phase before tariff reductions commence.
Guyana joined the rest of the world on December 5, to celebrate International Volunteers’ Day. A special forum was organised by the Ministry of Foreign Trade and International Co-operation, in collaboration with other Government agencies and Volunteer organisations to commemorate this event.
Special awards were presented to Ms Ismay Murray of the Ruimveldt Children’s Aid Centre; Mr. Pagan Thomson, Youth Challenge Guyana; Ms Waveney Benjamin who has volunteered with different organisations for the last 40 years and Pollette Dainty of the Guyana Community-Based Rehabilitation Programme for their contributions to volunteerism during the years.
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Local Gov’t Ministry to ensure delivery of quality work
Georgetown, GINA, January 14, 2008
Today, Minister of Local Government and Regional Development Kellawan Lall, met with Regional Engineers and Superintendents of works at the Ministry of Local Government, to discuss the Ministry’s 2008 plans for public works in the administrative regions.
During the meeting, a training session was held to highlight the Ministry’s policy agreements.
The Ministry in 2008 will be paying keen attention on ensuring that quality work is delivered. The administrators were also informed of the required polices in preparation, variation and modification of contracts.
This will adequately help to ensure that contractors adhere to agreements and contracts and most of all that work is completed as schedule.
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Power-supply to Leonora Diagnostic and Treatments Centre being installed – hundreds from the West Coast to benefit from its services shortly
Government, GINA, January 14, 2008
The Leonora Diagnostic and Treatment Centre will soon bring relief to hundreds of persons from the West Coast of Demerara and several surrounding villages.
Minister in the Ministry of Health, Dr. Bheri Ramsaran accompanied by Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Health, Hydar Ally today conducted a visit to the facility to check on the progress of construction.
Minister Ramsaran said the installation of the power generation and other electrical panels, which will provide a 24-hour supply of electrical energy to the facility, is expected to be completed by Friday. The approximate cost of the generator is $10M.
Equipment, which will be used to offer several specialised services have already arrived in the country and are being installed. This includes equipment for the operating theatre, the x-ray room and laboratory.
The Leonora, Mahaicony, Suddie and the recently commissioned Diamond Diagnostic and Treatment Centres are projects under construction through a collaborative effort between the Governments of Guyana and Cuba.
Additionally, the 2006 agreement will also see the construction of the state-of-the-art ophthalmology centre under construction at Port Mourant, Region Six. This will be the first of such a centre in Guyana and the Caribbean. It will offer services to Guyanese free of cost and will also be able to cater for persons from several other Caribbean countries including Suriname.
Agreements for the construction of these facilities were finalised during President Bharrat Jagdeo’s visit to Cuba from February 1-3, 2006.
It was agreed that the Guyana Government will purchase US$1.2M worth of equipment to furnish four centres that would be set up by the Cubans. The Cuban Government would provide 27 specialists and technicians for each of the four centres over a five-year period. Guyanese medical personnel under training will assume responsibility of these centres eventually.
The centres will offer a range of services such as laboratory, intensive care, hematology, x-ray and ultra-sound. All the centres will have the capacity to conduct surgeries.
The establishment of these centres will provide quality services to the regions and will reduce the load from the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC). Services will be free and will be offered 24 hours daily, with guaranteed comprehensive medical care for patients.
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Guyana has great tourism potential
- El Salvador Ambassador to Guyana
Government, GINA, January 14, 2007
Guyana can now look forward to enhanced co-operation in the tourism sector with El Salvador. El Salvador new Ambassador to Guyana today pledged his country’s support to the Minister of Tourism, Industry and Commerce Manniram Prashad during a courtesy call to the Minister at his office on South Road.
“With the Minister, we have discussed different initiatives on enhancing co-operation. El Salvador has always shared many commonalities with Guyana and I think we can share knowledge at least on matters of industry and tourism,” El Salvador Ambassador to Guyana, Carlos M. Pineda Cruz said.
El Savador's new Ambassador to Guyana Carlos M. Pineda Cruz meets Minister of Tourism, Industry and Commerce, Manniram Prashad
The new Ambassador said the fact that Guyana shares the Amazon, there is substantial tourism potential for the country.
“We can help in tourism in particular, especially since the tourism industry has revolutionised. It is important to build a brand name for the country to improve on the way tourism is gaining it financial inputs, so in this sense the ministry can look forward to our full co-operation,” the Ambassador said.
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‘Guyana Classics’ to be launched in August
Georgetown, GINA, January 14, 2008
Through the auspices of two local writers and novelists Dr. David Dabydeen and Dr. Ian McDonald, books dating back to the fifteenth century will be resuscitated and launched for the Caribbean Festival of Arts (CARIFESTA) X.
Some 38 of these books have been identified by the two writers, six of which have the support of government. They will be launched at CARIFESTA according to Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport Dr Frank Anthony.
The books according to Minister Anthony will be referred to as the “Guyana Classics” and will help to promote Guyana’s literature.
“An integral part of CARIFESTA has to do with literature. We will have book launchings and exhibitions and a number of publishers have already agreed to participate in our book exhibition,” Minister Anthony said.
CARIFESTA will be another platform for the promotion of the work of local writers whose work will be joined with others from the Caribbean Region for a grand book exhibition.
The CARIFESTA planning committee has been successful in making links with different publishers from the Region who will be participating in the exhibition. The plans include a special poetry anthology presentation.
Among the list of local books that will be showcased for CARIFESTA will be those which were awarded prizes in the Guyana Prize for Literature.
As part of the public relations campaign in the lead-up to the festival, a new magazine highlighting the formation of CARIFESTA and its 2008 hosting in Guyana will be published.
The magazine which is being printed locally has already attracted sponsorship through advertisements from several private companies. It will be circulated in Guyana and around the Caribbean region. Some 5,000 copies of the magazine have been printed.
This will be special for culture since a number of initiatives will be undertaken by the Ministry of Culture Youth and Sport to further promote Guyana’s culture.
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Modified Christmas security plan to remain in place
-Commander of ‘A’ Division
Georgetown, GINA, January 14, 2008
The two-month strategic security plan implemented by the Guyana Police Force (GPF) on November 15 in the main shopping areas of the city and its environs will remain in place.
Commander of “A” Division, Assistant Commissioner of Police Welton Trotz said the plan which has proven to be successful will not come to end as planned on January 15.
“We intend to maintain that momentum, meaning that it will be indefinite until we see it fit to make any major changes. This plan has helped in crime fighting. It has been successful. So there will continue to be patrols, the mobile out-post and roadblocks. The only thing we will change is the small booths that are around,” Commander Trotz said.
As part of the two-month plan which was expected to come to end on January 15, the method of operation included: vehicular, foot and river patrols, setting up of more booths, policing of all main areas, raids, road blocks and special operations.
On November 8, the Police Force presented the strategic plan with the objectives of controlling and reducing crime, building public confidence and reducing road accidents.
The Force’s 2006 plan which was headed by Senior Superintendent Steve Merai was lauded by the business community and members of the public during the Christmas season.
That plan had some 126 ranks complementing the existing quota in the city and catered for additional foot-patrols, booths at strategic locations around the city, increased raids and other special operations, more roadblocks and river patrols.
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Minister Westford, Indian High Commissioner discuss technical cooperation
Georgetown, GINA, January 14, 2008
Today, Public Service Minister, Jennifer Westford met with Indian High Commissioner to Guyana Subit Kumar Mandal to discuss technical cooperation issues between India and Guyana during a courtesy call paid by the High Commissioner on Minister Westford at the Public Service Ministry, Waterloo Street.
Minister Westford said that there is a technical cooperation Unit within the Ministry where courses are being offered such as staff development and law courses. She said that 37 persons have to date been trained in the yearly courses offered while eight others are to complete the course in March.
The Minister and the High Commissioner spoke about the public servants’ exchange programme between Guyana and India.
“We send persons to India, so we know how they do things but they also want to know how we do things which would impact positively on their country”, Minister Westford said.
The discussion also focused on a collaborative programme involving the Public Service Ministry, the University of Guyana and Universities of India. This programme is expected to commence next week.
On November 7, 2006 India’s Vice-President Bhairon Singh Shekhawat while on a visit to Guyana inked four agreements covering the areas of education, culture, foreign trade and international cooperation and an additional US$2.1M agreement for the installation of traffic lights in the city and its environs before World Cup Cricket matches in 2007.
Guyana and India has always shared a close bilateral cooperation.
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Stakeholders discussing way forward for Forest Products Marketing Council
Georgetown, GINA, January 14, 2008.
Focus continues to be placed on sustainable management, utilisation and development of the forestry sector as key stakeholders are engaged in discussions on the role and operations of the Forest Product Marketing Council of Guyana (FPMC).
The FPMC was established in December 2005 by Government based on recommendations by the International Tropical Timber Organisation (ITTO) after a diagnostic review of the forestry sector was conducted in 2002. The review, which was done at the request of Government, highlighted the need to boost marketing capabilities of forest products to increase vibrancy of the sector.
The Council was established to co-ordinate marketing activities, provide advice on the types of wood in demand and address and explore lesser used species. A Board of Directors was appointed and a five-year operational work plan was prepared.
During the first in a series of consultations held today at the Guyana Forestry Commission’s (GFC) Boardroom, Kingston, Georgetown, discussions focused on the Council’s performance during the past two years, its weaknesses and strengths and the way forward for the FPMC.
Minister of Agriculture Robert Persaud, officials of FPMC, the Guyana Forestry Commission (GFC) including Commissioner James Singh, Guyana Manufacturers Association (GMA), Forest Producers Association (FPA) and forest products exporters were among those present at the session.
Minister Persaud highlighted the consultative approach taken with regard to the Council’s operations over the past two years and its continued functioning which is being discussed with all stakeholders.
“The forestry sector is undergoing changes and we are looking at the issues closely and are keeping our partners au fait with these changes. This will continue and a lot of emphasis will be placed on value-added production,” the Minister said.
He noted that FMPC was developed to guide the industry to take advantage of the marketing opportunities and in continuing its work, focus must be placed on areas that need addressing. These include marketing of lesser-used species, the perception that some companies are given preference by the FMPC as against others and the current operating arrangement of the Council.
It was pointed out that this should be considered taking into account that the FPMC is funded solely by Government with assistance from several projects and agencies. Stakeholders were called upon to ensure greater collaboration to address some of the challenges facing the Council.
FPMC’s Director Luvindra Sukraj reported success in the Council’s operations, evidenced by the increase in exports of forest products with earnings moving from US$43M in 2005 to US$61.5M in 2007, the year in which there was a reduction in the exports of logs.
In the addition, the Council has attended to almost all of the areas outlined in the business plan including exposure for value-added production and understanding the use and promotion of lesser-used wood species. Another area of emphasis was training in areas such as timber grading and saw-doctoring while focus was placed on product development and utilisation of lesser-used wood species.
Getting the industry ready by improving the product line to meet market requirements and legal and sustainable verification were also addressed. To date, the Legal Verification System (LVS) has been developed and is awaiting the necessary operational plans to be put in place for implementation.
Arising from the consultations today, a working group has been established and is required to brief Minister Persaud on the discussions within the next three weeks. The consultations will continue to ensure that the views and recommendations of all stakeholders are included.
The forestry sector contributes about six percent to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), employs about 25 000 persons and plays a key role in the country’s development, particularly in the rural and hinterland communities where forestry activities generate income for many households and contribute to the national economy.
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