GUYANA-Guyana to expand East Bank Berbice forestry concession.

GEORGETOWN, Guyana, CMC – The Guyana Government plans to expand the forestry concession held by small loggers and firewood cutters on the East Bank of Berbice by 5,000 acres and reorganize their association to create more opportunities for residents.

Minister of Natural Resources Vickram Bharrat announced this during a meeting with loggers and residents of Mara on Friday.

The existing association holds about 8,500 acres, and the government proposes an additional 5,000 acres to accommodate membership growth and allow more people to benefit from the concession.

But he said the association must first be reorganized, raising concerns about its operations, including its failure to renew its concession for the past two years, how it distributes collected taxes, and the lack of regular meetings and elections.

As an immediate step, the Guyana Forestry Commission will meet with the firewood association and other small associations operating on the East Bank of Berbice on September 27 in Mara to facilitate the formation of a new East Bank association and the election of an executive team.

“We have agreed on several ways forward in which we’re going to address some of the challenges and issues. However, most of the challenges that exist among them revolve basically around the functioning of the association and members of the association working together,” Bharrat said.

He said once the new association and executive are established, the government would move to extend the concession.

“After that is done, we made a commitment that we can extend the concession that they presently hold,” he said.

Bharrat also said the government is considering opportunities for association members to become involved in mining through a medium-scale mining block, allowing them to pursue mining alongside logging.

The government is also planning skills-training initiatives to create additional economic opportunities in the community.

Bharrat announced plans for a furniture-making facility on the East Bank of Berbice, with the Guyana Forestry Commission providing training in producing school furniture, wardrobes, cabinets and kitchen cupboards.

A free jewelry-making course is also expected to be offered in Berbice before the end of the year, aiming to equip participants with skills that could lead to entrepreneurship or employment with established jewelry businesses.

Bharrat said the initiatives are intended to broaden economic opportunities for communities whose livelihoods have traditionally centered on farming and forestry.

“I’m very pleased with the outcome. I’m very pleased with the momentum that we had today and the feedback as well from residents and loggers,” he said.