Amid continuing concerns that Asian firms are ripping out logs from forests here without any serious intent to set up processing plants, Natural Resources Minister Robert Persaud yesterday said these companies have signaled that they will be “serious” about their commitments.
Bai Shan Lin of China and Vaitarna Holdings Private Inc. of India are two of the companies cited in recent press reports and Persaud told Stabroek News that his ministry has and will continue to be tough on any operator, in the logging and other sectors, found to be in violation of its commitments and Guyana’s regulations.
“If they are found in violation we will be tough, as we have been in this regard,” Persaud said speaking during a brief morning interview yesterday. However, when asked to specify occasions on which the ministry has been tough, the minister could not offer an immediate comment. Instead he said he would furnish Stabroek News with documents relevant to such actions at a