The Alliance for Change (AFC) has joined a petition against the Forest Bill 2007 since it is doubtful that the legislation is adequate for the protection and management of forest resources and for proper due diligence on forest sector investors before a decision is made.
But even though the party expressed serious concerns about many aspects of the Forestry Bill 2007, it welcomes the statement by the Minister of Agriculture, Robert Persaud that the bill would be sent to a special select committee.
Forest researcher and activist Janette Bulkan started the petition in opposition to the Forest Bill. The petition – which calls for the bill to be withdrawn – will be put before the National Assembly by the AFC upon the resumption of sittings of Parliament following the annual recess.
The petition states in the preamble that a number of the sections and clauses of the Draft Forests Act 2004 were excised from the Forest Bill 2007 without explanation and justification for the deliberate removal of some, and insertion of new clauses and sections which, taken together, weaken the Forest Bill 2007.
“The final publicly-available draft Forests Act 2004 benefited from the vision for the forestry sector set out in the National Development Strategy 2000-2010 and from broad stakeholder consultations and international best practice at that time. However, the legislative revisions of 1995-6 are now insufficient to adjust to the newer international imperatives concerning trade in tropical timbers and the need for independently verifiable proof of legal and sustainable production,” the petition states.
In a press release on Thursday, the AFC said that the forest resources of Guyana are an important component of the nation’s patrimony. Its conservation and protection would only be best secured when the Government fully recognises the real value derived from forest products, environmental services and the accrued social benefits of these resources primarily to Guyanese, in the pursuit of sustainable development and poverty alleviation.
It said that this should be the fundamental basis upon which the PPP/C administration must provide a policy and legal framework for the strengthening of institutions and the enforcement of laws for the management, conservation and sustainable development of “this nation’s land and forest resources.”
The party referred to Article 36 of the Constitution which states: “In the interest of present and future generations, the state will protect and make rational use of its land, mineral and water resources, as well as its fauna and flora, and will take all appropriate measures to conserve and improve the environment.”
According to the AFC, one of the specific concerns of importance at this time is that almost the whole of Guyana’s forest estate has been allocated for timber production. The AFC said too that the National Forest Policy identifies forest lands not only for production but for protection, conversion and conservation. “The Forest Bill #21/2007 has made no provision that ensures that important aspects of land and forest resource management [are] enshrined in law,” the AFC said.
Another concern of the AFC regards the 1996 Exploratory Lease legislation which was proposed and supported by the Government and approved in Parliament.
“This ensured that due diligence had to be conducted on forest sector investors before any decision was made on the issuing of a Timber Sales Agreement. This important component of that legislation has now been totally ignored in the new Forest Bill.