Govt eyes furniture, joinery facility for Berbice loggers

The Government is considering establishing a small furniture or joinery facility to support loggers in the Mara/Plegt Anker area as part of efforts to move forestry operators into value-added production.

Natural Resources Minister Vickram Bharrat made the disclosure during an outreach at the Guyana Forestry Commission (GFC) forest station at West Canje, Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne), where he met stakeholders from the logging and mining sectors.

Bharrat said the engagement formed part of an ongoing policy of conducting outreaches across the country to meet stakeholders individually, listen to their concerns and suggestions and determine how some of the challenges affecting their operations could be addressed.

While noting increased interest among Berbicians in the expanding mining sector, the Minister said the Government also continues to work with loggers to make their operations more viable through value-added production.

“We continue to work with our loggers and to find areas in which we can help them to move towards more value-added, and that has been the drive of the Ministry of Natural Resources and the Guyana Forestry Commission for a number of years,” Bharrat said.

He explained that moving further into downstream activities could create employment, add value to local timber products and help to further reduce deforestation while keeping the forestry sector viable.
Bharrat said the Government has assisted communities across the country with the establishment of joinery and furniture shops and is prepared to explore similar facilities for communities in the Canje River and Mara/Plegt Anker areas.

“We are willing to work with some of the communities, especially in the Canje River area and the Mara/Plegt Anker area, to develop similar facilities where loggers can now engage in downstream activities, that is, furniture making, cabinets, wardrobes, even providing furniture for the schools here in Berbice,” he said.

Bharrat has committed to returning to the Mara/Plegt Anker area within about a week to meet members of the loggers’ association, which he said has not been producing for some time because of issues among its members.

“So one, revive the association; two, resolve whatever issues they have within the association; and three, put them back into production,” the Minister said.

He said discussions will also examine possible collaboration on developing a small furniture or joinery shop in the area.

According to Bharrat, such a facility would create much-needed jobs and other economic opportunities for residents.

Meanwhile, loggers operating in the Canje Creek area raised concerns about the condition of the creek, which Bharrat described as a longstanding issue.

He said trees have fallen into the creek over time while weeds have accumulated, making some sections almost impossible to traverse.

Bharrat said he has spoken with the head of the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA), which will provide assistance, while the GFC has committed chainsaws and fuel so that loggers can participate in clearing the creek.

Transportation along the Berbice River was another issue raised by loggers, and the Minister said efforts would be made to determine what relief could be provided.

Bharrat also encouraged loggers to take advantage of financing through the Guyana Development Bank when its programme is rolled out, particularly to invest in value-added operations.

“We’ve been advocating, and we’ve been speaking a lot with the loggers and miners, especially loggers, for them to use the opportunity of the Guyana Development Bank to move to value-added, because that is where the real opportunities lie, and that is what will make their business even more profitable,” he said.

The Minister explained that the financing could be particularly important to loggers because many do not possess the types of collateral required by commercial banks, while forestry permits or concessions are not accepted as security.

He said loans of up to $3 million would be available without security or collateral and without interest.