Forestry Commission to be fully operational again -Minister Bharrat
Kaieteur News – Natural Resources Minister Vickram Bharrat has said that Guyana’s Forestry Commission (GFC) capability has been strengthened and that the entity would soon be fully operational again.
According to a statement from the Department of Public Information, the regulatory body was plunged into economic turmoil, leaving a trail of uncertainty, under the previous administration.
However, with the support of the PPP / C Government, the Commission has now rebounded.
“Our aim is to make the GFC stand on its own foundation in the first quarter of 2021, with the new measures being implemented in the last quarter of 2020. We will strengthen the Commission’s competence and experience, with an emphasis on improving its monitoring arm and enforcement. and improving stakeholder interaction, ”Minister Vickram told DPI last week.
When the PPP / C Government returned to office in August 2020, it said it had found a bankrupt Commission, which was also in hundreds of millions of dollars in debt.
A $ 4 billion surplus, left in treasury in 2015, was also missing. The Commission also found it difficult to pay its staff.
However, the Government immediately managed to pay about $ 350 million to cover operating costs and salaries for the remainder of 2020.
The 2020 Crisis Budget also provided a host of incentives for the forestry sector, opening up a path to recovery for the Commission.
Measures proposed in the budget included removal of value added tax (VAT) and duties on machinery and equipment, tax concessions on all terrain vehicles, amendment to the timber export policy, removal of VAT on hinterland travel and $. 15 billion allocation to improve hinterland infrastructure.
Minister Bharrat said the measures would open up a host of investment opportunities within the sector.
“The removal of VAT and the tax concessions will allow cheaper and easier procurement of plant and equipment and could lead to more investments in the sector. Improving hinterland infrastructure such as roads and bridges, as well as eliminating VAT on air travel will also boost the sector, as it will reduce the cost of transport for people and material. ”
Meanwhile, Minister Bharrat said the Government plans to maintain the 40 per cent Common External Tariff (CET), which will increase the competitiveness of local lumber and incentivize local producers to improve quality standards, thereby increasing local productivity.
He said the Ministry remains committed to working with the stakeholders in the sector so that they can re-arm and re-capitalize their operations.