The government and the private sector are set to submit a joint position to the United Kingdom (UK) to address the current restriction on the importation of greenheart logs from Guyana, according to Mohindra Chand, Chairman of the Guyana Manufacturing and Services Association’s Forest and Wood Sector Sub-Committee.
Speaking to Stabroek News on Monday, Chand pointed out that the government and private sector are working together to put their position together and have it presented to the UK. “We are hoping to be able to have a position by the first or second quarter of the new year. We are hoping to be able to visit the UK authority sometime then too so we can work it out,” Chand added.
Additionally, Chand explained that a few suppliers have been able to access the market. “Iwokrama recently got certified by the FSC [Forest Stewardship Council] which is accepted by the UK and so because they now have FSC timber, persons sourcing from them can now export to the UK,” he said.
The UK made a decision to stop purchasing greenheart from Guyana more than a year ago, saying that the logs were not being taken from a certified source. Chand had explained that in May 2015, a technical note released by the UK informed contractors for government-funded projects, among others, that Greenheart from Guyana is not currently available from Category A – certified timber under a forest management certification.
In addition, it said there was currently insufficient Category B timber, based on the UK government’s requirements that it be from sustainably managed forests.
“The UK technical note went on to state that they will apply the timber agreement policy rigorously and they will only buy timber from legal and sustainable sources which currently prohibits purchase of new greenheart from Guyana,” Chand explained.
