–Minister Persaud
Minister of Agriculture, Robert Persaud has emphasised the need for society to protect Guyana’s rain forest; since it is of tremendous importance, not only as a contributor to the timber and forest product sector, but also in the fight against climate change.
Minister of Agriculture, Robert Persaud (third from right), flanked by Representative of the European Union, facilitator of FLEGT, John Bruneval, Member of the National Toshao Council, Yvonne Perason, President of the Forest Product Association, Hilbertos Cort, Chairman of the Guyana Forestry Commission Board, Raj Singh and Charge de’ Affairs of EU delegation to Guyana, Norbert Probst
Referring to President Bharrat Jagdeo’s advocacy at the United Nations recently; for the recognition and role the forest plays in the climate change fight to be underscored, Minister Persaud said Guyana’s engagement with the European Union (EU) Forest Governance and Trade is a major stepping stone to determine the country’s next step.
The Minister was at the time delivering the feature address at the Guyana Forestry Commission’s national workshop today; at the Guyana International Conference Centre, Liliendaal.
The workshop drew participants from the European Union, Forest Law Enforcement Governance and Trade Programme (EU FLEGT), Forest Product Association (FPA), Guyana Forestry Commission (GFC), National Toshaos Council (NTC), and the Private Sector.
Attendes, during the closing ceremony of the Guyana Forestry Commission’s national workshop, at the Guyana International Conference Centre, Liliendaal.
The initiative is the second such engagement with Guyana and the EU FLEGT for 2010.
“As part of our commitment to consultation, the main purpose was to share information and better inform local stakeholders about EU FLEGT as we explore Guyana’s possible engagement in EU FLEGT with an aim of entering into a Voluntary Partnership Agreement, ” Minister Persaud said.
He told the gathering that the Head of State at the 65th session of the United Nations General Assembly recently emphasised that if the international community is prepared to be held accountable, developing countries will not be found lacking.
Guyana signed a MoU with the Government of Norway, which would outline a cooperation framework for the next five years.
And according to the Minister with responsibility for forestry, today’s activity is in keeping with Guyana’s commitment to the MoU, which would see a commencement with the EU for a formal dialogue on its Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade processes and the Voluntary Partnership Agreement (VPA).
Minister of Agriculture, Robert Persaud delivering at the Guyana Forestry Commission’s national workshop, at the Guyana International Conference Centre, Liliendaal.
The Minister while indicating that the EU has always been an important region for the country’s forest products export; said that Guyana’s total forest products for 2009 were valued US$4.55M.
Already for the first half of this year, the export rate has reached US$3.35M compared to US$1.5M for 2009. Guyana’s total export value to the EU accounts for approximately 14 percent of Guyana’s total forest export market in terms of value for the first six months of this year.
“The 14 percent accounts for dressed and undressed lumber, piles and a small amount of splitwood, however, there is notably no log export to the European market for 2010 thus far.”
Representative of the European Union, facilitator of FLEGT, John Bruneval while noting that the workshop which was deemed positive is a starting point, however, said there is a need for more internal debates.
While indicating that the way forward is a choice for society, Bruneval said that the initiative is a good basis to think of technical issues to assist the implementation.
Meanwhile, the workshop was appreciated by President of the Forest Product Association, Hilbertos Cort and Chairperson of the National Toshaos Council, Yvonne Pearson who both said that there should be no difficulty in progress being made under the EU FLEGT.
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