Minister of Natural Resources Raphael Trotman and Minister of Finance Winston Jordan have had discussions on addressing the financial woes of the Guyana Forestry Commission (GFC).
Last Tuesday, Trotman met the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU) along with the Board of Directors and management of the GFC to address issues as it relates to the delayed payment of salaries.
Speaking to Stabroek News yesterday, Trotman said that all he could say at this point is that he and Jordan have had initial discussions, which they have to follow up on.
GAWU, in a statement, had said that its General Secretary, Seepaul Narine, Organising Officer, Porandatt Narine, and GFC GAWU Branch Secretary Hewley Clarke attended the meeting.
Among the concerns raised by GAWU was the regular delay in the payment of salaries and other benefits to the workers, with the union pointing out that “salary is personal property and the management had no right to delay such payments beyond the stipulated pay day.”
GAWU had said that it also voiced concern regarding the $600 million invested by GFC in the former Radio Station property on High Street in addition to other debts, “some of which are owed for protracted periods to the Commission.” The union said that the Minister was reminded that the Forestry Act stipulates that any shortfall in GFC’s expenditure is to be charged to the Consolidated Fund.
The Union had said that Trotman’s attention was drawn to the fact that the Commission has been charged with additional responsibilities without receiving any more resources to meet its new obligations. He made a commitment to put GAWU’s concerns to Cabinet in an effort to obtain a subvention for immediate relief.
Trotman had then told Stabroek News days after that Cabinet had agreed that the two Ministers would examine the short and medium-term remedies to assist the GFC is making the outstanding payments.
These measures, he had said, could include tapping into the Contingency Fund and financing from the Guyana REDD+ Investment Fund.
Trotman had highlighted the circumstances that impacted on the GFC cash flow challenges, and said that the re-possession of Baishanlin’s holdings and the relinquishment of Barama’s concession were two of the main ones and had led to less production and revenue from royalties.
He also said the commission’s evolving role as “conservator of forests” to ensure that Guyana’s international obligations to conserve more forests were met, was also a major factor given that more forests were placed into protected or reserved categories, which meant that more persons had to be employed for monitoring and safeguarding the resources.
