Prime Minister Dean Barrow this morning told Amandala that, “I feel that the time has come to get some kind of independent assessment or evaluation” of the rosewood situation.
“I have to get independent persons to go there and give me a report,” the Prime Minister told us.
Barrow said that he expects that there is a bit of “hanky panky” going on with the rosewood production.
Our newspaper has carried multiple reports indicating that there is illegal harvesting of rosewood, which is primarily destined for export to China. Confirmation was received last week from the Forest Department and from the NGO community that there have been reports of unauthorized rosewood harvesting from protected areas, including the Deep River Forest Reserve and the Sarstoon-Temash National Park.
“There are too many complaints…. So many people are saying all is not well,” Barrow told us.
As for a letter from Ya’axche Conservation Trust (YCT), pleading with Barrow to put a moratorium into effect until a proper assessment of the rosewood situation can be carried out, so that the harvesting of rosewood can proceed in a more environmentally friendly and sustainable manner, Barrow told us he has not seen it.
Our newspaper has received multiple reports of rosewood being transported without the requisite Forest Department stamp.
This weekend, an elderly man of Jacintoville suffered as an accidental casualty of the improper transportation of rosewood when one of the logs fell off a truck and reportedly broke his two legs.