As part of its efforts to revitalise the Co-operative Movement in Guyana, the Ministry of Social Protection’s (MoSP) Department of Co-operatives recently facilitated the conversion of the Ituni Small Loggers and Chainsaw Association in Ituni, Region Ten from a Friendly to a Co-operative Society.
According to a MoSP release, the association is now the Ituni Loggers Co-operative Society Limited and with this conversion, the society is now legally operating in the region.
Head of the Co-operative Department Perlina Gifth told the residents at the meeting that the conversion to a co-operative society will also enable the society to have a better management structure, make every member a shareholder and see members employed under the Decent Work Country Programme.
“The Friendly society, is for organisations with intention of charity, benevolence and clubs. All logging associations operate for economic gain, therefore, as a Co-operative society you will be legally earning the income you are currently earning. The goal of the society is to contribute to the development of a logger and the logging sector within the Ituni community and Guyana,” Gifth explained.
The general objectives of the new Co-operative society include promoting the establishment and maintenance mechanism for meaningful dialogue with the Guyana Forestry Commission (GFC), promoting the rights of members of the society to earn an honest living off the lands provided to the society by GFC, facilitating access to better prices for its members on the local and international market and providing banking and saving facilities for members.
Gifth explained that persons interested in joining the co-op society must be 21 years and older, residing in the Ituni community, must own at least one chainsaw with legal document of ownership and only one person from each household is allowed to join.
She added that application forms must be filled and submitted to the secretary. Members must pay a monthly subscription of $2000 and are awarded five shares per person.
To date, the Co-operatives Department has supported the revitalisation of 170 Co-ops, and registered 68 new ones since 2016, the release added.
