By Jomo Paul
![Minister of Governance, Raphael Trotman. [Jules Gibson Photo]](https://i0.wp.com/www.inewsguyana.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/Trotman1.jpg)
The companies have been operating in Guyana for more than a decade each and in their contractual agreements with the government, had promised the setting up of wood processing plants in Guyana.
In addition to providing jobs, these plants would see value-added wood products being made in Guyana with a number of lucrative opportunities existing for investors interested in working with Guyana’s wood industry. These include furniture, plywood and veneers, mouldings and doors, parquet, floor tiles, and other related products.
Minister of Governance, Raphael Trotman who has some responsibility for the natural resources sector, on Wednesday July 29, said both have been spoken to already and gave a commitment that within a matter of months they will address the value added concern.
Trotman expects the two companies to honour their obligations in the coming months or it could mean goodbye for them.
“We are in July and I expect to see before the end of the year Value added products being produced by these two companies. If not their contracts will have to be reviewed for termination,” said the Governance Minister.
Pointing to concessions currently being offered to mining and logging companies, Trotman stated that a general review of these is underway.
“We have got to look at jobs, we have to look at taxes paid…we have got to look at concessions for duty free vehicles, value added so that requires a studied review and yes that review is undergoing,” he said.
They are not getting any delay when it comes to mining and other activities then how come they are getting delays when it comes to their promises. They should be sent packing it has been too long since they were here and we have nothing as a nation.
Well said
the chinese are raping our forests and pillaging the lands. they don’t give one iota about environment and what damages they are doing to flora/fauna, the air, the water and the species they are destroying. the criminal ppp cabal gave them carte blance to rape the country of it’s natural resources. no wonder the country is in such a terrible state. there must be checks and balances and thorough regulations. not just on the books but must be fully imposed on all companies doing business.
It’s been a decade since they made those promises to honour their obligations and they haven’t. Why wait any longer? They’re making children here. They’re establishing ridiculously expensive housing schemes that average Guyanese cannot afford. They’re building gas stations and establishing ship building yards. They’re exporting our logs and logging outside of their concessions. All on our land. How much have they given back? How much have they contributed to this country in the decade that they’ve been here? Have we seen the return that we deserve? How much longer will they be allowed to give us eye pass before we put them out?
It’s about time