With approximately 1.6 million hectares of forest free after Barama Company Ltd refused to renew its Timber Sales Agreement, the government is currently reviewing a number of options for its alternative use.
Minister of State Joseph Harmon announced at last week’s post-Cabinet press briefing that Minister of Natural Resources Raphael Trotman has presented a number of options for the alternative use of the land and to address the welfare of the workers who will be affected by the company’s decision to end the agreement that had been in force for 25 years.
Harmon explained that since it is a large amount of land, “…We are looking at medium-scale and small-scale work in that area,” he said. Referencing the small-scale work, Harmon explained that there is a possibility of the employees, who are currently in the sector, forming themselves into co-ops to