Forestry sector failing from lack of capital -PNCR
Stabroek News
June 17, 2003
The lack of modern capital equipment, poor export market intelligence and marketing, and low value recovery from harvested logs are some of the reasons for the troubles in the forestry industry.
This is the opinion of the PNCR, expressed at its weekly press briefing held at Congress Place Sophia on Thursday.
By any of the economic parameters used to measure performance, there had been little or no growth particularly in the last few years, the party said.
It noted that the Guyana Forestry Commission (GFC) had focused its attention on improving services to the industry but not to the need for investment in capital equipment.
The forestry sector’s contribution to Gross Domestic Product (GDP) may have fallen below the 4% mark in 2002 as several previously established concessionaires and manufacturers either contracted, became bankrupt or were on the brink of bankruptcy, the statement said.
The party has advocated a comprehensive development plan for the industry which includes a programme for renewal based on low-cost financing for plant and equipment, the creation of an independent timber export marketing agency funded by the government and the forest industry.
The party’s plan also caters for the introduction of an attractive regime of fiscal and other incentives designed to encourage greater joint venture arrangements between Guyanese producers and foreign distributors/end users.
