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http://www.stabroeknews.com/2009/letters/07/04/what-have-foreign-timber-companies-been-doing-for-the-local-community/
What have foreign timber companies been doing for the local community?
By Stabroek staff July 4, 2009 in Letters
Dear Editor,
There are a couple of foreign companies which are engaged in timber extraction in Guyana. Take for instance Jaling Forest Industries that is located in Port Kaituma, Region One. The residents are saying that the Jaling company is not doing much to assist the community.
Now at the employment level there are few openings for residents; there are more foreigners working with the company than Guyanese workers. I do not think that language is a barrier to employment. In the agreement with the Government of Guyana the conditions for occupying the land and the terms and conditions for employing
Guyanese workers should have been included. An agreement should ensure that relevant working conditions are met, including the termination of service with benefits. We have to protect our Guyanese workers at home against exploitation, and only then abroad.
The people are saying they are not benefiting from the presence of the Jaling company. There is an agreement with Jaling to maintain part of the road from Oronoque to the M2 junction, which they also use for their heavy equipment, but this road is not being maintained in accordance with the agreement. The Jaling Company had asked for a toll waiver with the understanding that they would repair and maintain part of the road so that the people in the community could enjoy the use of it.
When these foreign companies come to these parts of the hemisphere to extract timber they are supposed to replant so that our forest can be maintained. We allow our rain forest to be destroyed at a cheap cost. We must protect our tropical forest to save the difficult species of animals and birds, and not destroy their homes.
Many valuable chemical compounds are developed in laboratories from tropical trees. What is happening to our indigenous brothers and sisters who are living in the forest? Their hunting is not being protected and this will cause migration and then cultural disintegration begins. So let our government protect our forest and not destroy everything.
Yours faithfully,
Michael Hope
AFC Councillor
Editor’s note
We sent a copy of this letter to Mr Lennox Cornette, Deputy Chief Executive Officer, Jaling Forest Industries Inc, for any comments he might have wished to make and received the following response:
“Jaling Forest Industries wishes to thank you for the opportunity to respond to the letter sent to your newspaper by Mr Michael Hope (AFC Councillor) about matters pertaining to our company. Mr Hope has made a number of statements that are of concern to us and we feel compelled to set the record straight. Firstly, he claims that the company “is not doing much to assist the community.” On the contrary, Jaling has been making steady contributions to the Port Kaituma community and to Region One as a whole. During the past three years we have donated 265 logs to the Matarkai sub-district for community use, donated 34 pieces lumber to the PK police station for maintenance work, built the catwalk that residents use to walk from the log pond area to the vicinity of the central wharf, donated the crown for Ms Amerindian Heritage Regional Pageant in Mabaruma, given a quantity of logs to rebuild the bridge that link Oronoque and Kaituma waterfront, donated footballs and DVD players to the nursery, primary and secondary schools, donated a quantity of footballs to the PK football club, and launched a Schools’ Essay Writing Competition to create increased awareness in school-age children about the beauty and diversity of Guyana’s hinterland, and about global warming.
“The essay competition was open to Primary Level (8 to 12) years old; Secondary Level (11-14 years old and 14 and over). Prizes included a bicycle, a trip to Georgetown for CARIFESTA, portable DVD and MP 3 players, wrist watches and cellular phones. Unfortunately, just a limited number of entries were received and it was decided to re-launch the competition during the 2009 September term.
“Secondly, Mr Hope erroneously says that there are more foreigners working with the company than Guyanese workers. Here are the facts. In Port Kaituma where our logging operations are centralized, there are 16 foreigners and 55 local full-time and part-time workers. In the Georgetown office, there are 10 Guyanese and 6 Chinese staff. Mr Hope lives at Mabaruma, and does not know what obtains in the Kaituma backdam at Jaling’s campsite and concession. Sixty per cent of the local workers could be found in the backdam.
“Thirdly, the AFC Councillor claims that the Oronoque to M2 Junction is not being maintained in accordance with the agreement. Indeed the Region 1 Administration and Jaling signed an agreement last year for the company to maintain 13 kilometres of the main road, in lieu of the company paying toll. From that time to the present, our crews have done routine maintenance on the road. Mr Hope should remember that the road is not an all-weather thoroughfare and that during the rainy season it becomes deplorable. The company will continue to maintain the road for its own use and for the benefit of the community.
“Fourthly, Mr Hope states, “When these foreign companies come to these parts of the hemisphere to extract timber they are supposed to replant so that our forest can be maintained.” His statement demonstrates an embarrassing lack of knowledge of Guyana’s forest conservation methods and mechanisms. Our company operates under a Five-Year Management Plan and Annual Operations Plans that have to be approved by the Guyana Forestry Commission. In the plan is set forth our harvesting cycle, the Annual Allowable Cut (ACC), and the forest operations practices. The AAC and our modus operandi in the forest allow the trees to regenerate naturally. We are not required to replant trees.
“The rest of Mr Hope’s letter is not worth commenting on since it is filled with many other spurious statements. Suffice it to say that Jaling Forest Industries Inc will continue to be a good corporate citizen that will help in the development process that is taking place in Region 1, particularly the Port Kaituma District.”
Nota del editor del blog: Al referenciarse a la República Cooperativa de Guyana se deben de tener en cuenta los 159.500Km2, de territorios ubicados al oeste del río Esequibo conocidos con el nombre de Guayana Esequiba o Zona en Reclamación sujetos al Acuerdo de Ginebra dl 17 de febrero de 1966.
Territorios estos sobre los cuales el gobierno Venezolano en representación de la Nación venezolana se reservo sus derechos sobre los territorios de la Guayana Esequiba en su nota del 26 de mayo de 1966 al reconocerse al nuevo Estado de Guyana .
“...por lo tanto, Venezuela reconoce como territorio del nuevo Estado, el que se sitúa al este de la margen derecha del río Esequibo y reitera ante la comunidad internacional, que se reserva expresamente sus derechos de soberanía territorial sobre la zona que se encuentra en la margen izquierda del precitado río; en consecuencia, el territorio de la Guayana Esequiba sobre el cual Venezuela se reserva expresamente sus derechos soberanos, limita al Este con el nuevo Estado de Guyana, a través de la línea del río Esequibo, tomando éste desde su nacimiento hasta su desembocadura en el Océano Atlántico...”
http://www.stabroeknews.com/2009/letters/07/04/what-have-foreign-timber-companies-been-doing-for-the-local-community/
What have foreign timber companies been doing for the local community?
By Stabroek staff July 4, 2009 in Letters
Dear Editor,
There are a couple of foreign companies which are engaged in timber extraction in Guyana. Take for instance Jaling Forest Industries that is located in Port Kaituma, Region One. The residents are saying that the Jaling company is not doing much to assist the community.
Now at the employment level there are few openings for residents; there are more foreigners working with the company than Guyanese workers. I do not think that language is a barrier to employment. In the agreement with the Government of Guyana the conditions for occupying the land and the terms and conditions for employing
Guyanese workers should have been included. An agreement should ensure that relevant working conditions are met, including the termination of service with benefits. We have to protect our Guyanese workers at home against exploitation, and only then abroad.
The people are saying they are not benefiting from the presence of the Jaling company. There is an agreement with Jaling to maintain part of the road from Oronoque to the M2 junction, which they also use for their heavy equipment, but this road is not being maintained in accordance with the agreement. The Jaling Company had asked for a toll waiver with the understanding that they would repair and maintain part of the road so that the people in the community could enjoy the use of it.
When these foreign companies come to these parts of the hemisphere to extract timber they are supposed to replant so that our forest can be maintained. We allow our rain forest to be destroyed at a cheap cost. We must protect our tropical forest to save the difficult species of animals and birds, and not destroy their homes.
Many valuable chemical compounds are developed in laboratories from tropical trees. What is happening to our indigenous brothers and sisters who are living in the forest? Their hunting is not being protected and this will cause migration and then cultural disintegration begins. So let our government protect our forest and not destroy everything.
Yours faithfully,
Michael Hope
AFC Councillor
Editor’s note
We sent a copy of this letter to Mr Lennox Cornette, Deputy Chief Executive Officer, Jaling Forest Industries Inc, for any comments he might have wished to make and received the following response:
“Jaling Forest Industries wishes to thank you for the opportunity to respond to the letter sent to your newspaper by Mr Michael Hope (AFC Councillor) about matters pertaining to our company. Mr Hope has made a number of statements that are of concern to us and we feel compelled to set the record straight. Firstly, he claims that the company “is not doing much to assist the community.” On the contrary, Jaling has been making steady contributions to the Port Kaituma community and to Region One as a whole. During the past three years we have donated 265 logs to the Matarkai sub-district for community use, donated 34 pieces lumber to the PK police station for maintenance work, built the catwalk that residents use to walk from the log pond area to the vicinity of the central wharf, donated the crown for Ms Amerindian Heritage Regional Pageant in Mabaruma, given a quantity of logs to rebuild the bridge that link Oronoque and Kaituma waterfront, donated footballs and DVD players to the nursery, primary and secondary schools, donated a quantity of footballs to the PK football club, and launched a Schools’ Essay Writing Competition to create increased awareness in school-age children about the beauty and diversity of Guyana’s hinterland, and about global warming.
“The essay competition was open to Primary Level (8 to 12) years old; Secondary Level (11-14 years old and 14 and over). Prizes included a bicycle, a trip to Georgetown for CARIFESTA, portable DVD and MP 3 players, wrist watches and cellular phones. Unfortunately, just a limited number of entries were received and it was decided to re-launch the competition during the 2009 September term.
“Secondly, Mr Hope erroneously says that there are more foreigners working with the company than Guyanese workers. Here are the facts. In Port Kaituma where our logging operations are centralized, there are 16 foreigners and 55 local full-time and part-time workers. In the Georgetown office, there are 10 Guyanese and 6 Chinese staff. Mr Hope lives at Mabaruma, and does not know what obtains in the Kaituma backdam at Jaling’s campsite and concession. Sixty per cent of the local workers could be found in the backdam.
“Thirdly, the AFC Councillor claims that the Oronoque to M2 Junction is not being maintained in accordance with the agreement. Indeed the Region 1 Administration and Jaling signed an agreement last year for the company to maintain 13 kilometres of the main road, in lieu of the company paying toll. From that time to the present, our crews have done routine maintenance on the road. Mr Hope should remember that the road is not an all-weather thoroughfare and that during the rainy season it becomes deplorable. The company will continue to maintain the road for its own use and for the benefit of the community.
“Fourthly, Mr Hope states, “When these foreign companies come to these parts of the hemisphere to extract timber they are supposed to replant so that our forest can be maintained.” His statement demonstrates an embarrassing lack of knowledge of Guyana’s forest conservation methods and mechanisms. Our company operates under a Five-Year Management Plan and Annual Operations Plans that have to be approved by the Guyana Forestry Commission. In the plan is set forth our harvesting cycle, the Annual Allowable Cut (ACC), and the forest operations practices. The AAC and our modus operandi in the forest allow the trees to regenerate naturally. We are not required to replant trees.
“The rest of Mr Hope’s letter is not worth commenting on since it is filled with many other spurious statements. Suffice it to say that Jaling Forest Industries Inc will continue to be a good corporate citizen that will help in the development process that is taking place in Region 1, particularly the Port Kaituma District.”
Nota del editor del blog: Al referenciarse a la República Cooperativa de Guyana se deben de tener en cuenta los 159.500Km2, de territorios ubicados al oeste del río Esequibo conocidos con el nombre de Guayana Esequiba o Zona en Reclamación sujetos al Acuerdo de Ginebra dl 17 de febrero de 1966.
Territorios estos sobre los cuales el gobierno Venezolano en representación de la Nación venezolana se reservo sus derechos sobre los territorios de la Guayana Esequiba en su nota del 26 de mayo de 1966 al reconocerse al nuevo Estado de Guyana .
“...por lo tanto, Venezuela reconoce como territorio del nuevo Estado, el que se sitúa al este de la margen derecha del río Esequibo y reitera ante la comunidad internacional, que se reserva expresamente sus derechos de soberanía territorial sobre la zona que se encuentra en la margen izquierda del precitado río; en consecuencia, el territorio de la Guayana Esequiba sobre el cual Venezuela se reserva expresamente sus derechos soberanos, limita al Este con el nuevo Estado de Guyana, a través de la línea del río Esequibo, tomando éste desde su nacimiento hasta su desembocadura en el Océano Atlántico...”
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