Dear Editor,
Please refer to a letter which appeared in your Stabroek News issue of Wednesday September 3, by Chairman Chu Wenze captioned ‘Baishanlin recognizes it has a responsibility to the Guyanese people.’
We wish to make two points: –
First, the first five words of that letter ‘BaiShanlin International Forest Development Inc’ seem to be in direct contradiction to the rest of it. The question is, in what way is Baishanlin developing the forest? We have no evidence that the company is replanting trees or doing any related activity other than felling trees and exporting raw logs. The Environ-
mental Impact Assessment in areas where Baishanlin is operating is still in dispute; where is the development?
Second, the letter is 352 words long. Yet, Mr Chu did not mention the word ‘environment’ or ‘nature’ once. This is an important point because it reveals the general preoccupation of Baishanlin – not with the environment but with its operations. The word ‘operations’ is mentioned four times in his letter. What are these operations? Mainly felling trees and exporting raw logs; no value added. Therefore, no real sustainable development for those local communities involved.
It is true that a better quality of life is needed by all, particularly those in our hinterland, but felling trees, degrading the forest, exporting raw logs and messing up our biodiversity could not provide sustainable community development.
We shudder to think about passing on to our children an environment whose lungs (trees) have been destroyed, and our water, air and land have been polluted by people who are seeking to protect their forests by banning the export of raw logs in their own country. It is an uncomfortable reality, but a reality.
Baishanlin development policy appears to be framed narrowly by material gains and hollowed out by a misguided view that the company’s management could talk about community development without any real commitment to preserving and protecting the environment.
There can be no real human or community development without a demonstrated commitment to ensuring the integrity of our natural environment. Therefore, we call on Baishanlin to show more corporate social responsibly not only to the communities but also the natural environment.
We call upon the competent authority to save our forest and protect our children’s future.
We call upon the authorities to stop giving away our natural assets for next to nothing. Stop the plunder of our natural resources.
Yours faithfully
Royston King
Executive Director
Environment Community
Health Organization
