The government is looking to establish a small furniture or joinery facility in the Berbice area, Minister of Natural Resources Vickram Bharrat said in an interview with reporters.
The facility is part of efforts to help loggers move into value-added production and is intended to create better opportunities for loggers within the region. The proposed facility would allow loggers to move beyond raw timber and get involved in downstream activities such as furniture making.
The initiative is intended to create jobs, add value to Guyana’s forest products, and generate greater economic opportunities for the community. Bharrat said that moving to value-added production makes the sector more viable, creates more employment, adds value to products and can reduce deforestation even further while keeping the sector viable.
Similar facilities have already been established in several communities across the country, and the government is looking to replicate the initiative in other communities. The government remains willing to work with communities to establish similar facilities to support the long-term viability of the forestry sector.
A follow-up meeting will be held with loggers within the coming weeks in Berbice to discuss the proposal and address any other challenges affecting operations.
Bharrat said they continue to work with loggers and find areas to help them move towards more value-added production. The Ministry of Natural Resources and the Guyana Forestry Commission have for several years pursued efforts to help loggers move towards more value-added production.
