The Tribune

By KHRISNA VIRGIL

Deputy Chief Reporter

kvirgil@tribunemedia.net

AMID heightened public concern over the Christie administration’s dealings with Chinese investors, Environment Minister Kenred Dorsett was adamant yesterday that neither his ministry nor the government has issued a licence to any company in this country for forestry harvesting in Andros.

Mr Dorsett admitted that a proposal of this kind, submitted in 2015, was approved in principle by the government’s Forestry Unit.

However, he maintained that to date all of the conditions imposed by the Forestry Unit were not satisfied, therefore no licence was issued.

Speaking in the House of Assembly yesterday, the minister said the only deal of this kind that exists in the Bahamas was struck in 2011 on a five-year basis under the previous Ingraham administration to a Canadian citizen.

Any assertions that state otherwise, Mr Dorsett said, is an attempt to “demonise” a potential investment by insinuating that it is a secret deal with the Chinese by the government.

He was responding to a report in The Nassau Guardian that a company with majority Chinese directors was given National Economic Council (NEC) approval for a forestry project on 4,500 acres of Crown land in North Andros. This report said the NEC agreed to issue a company called Caribbean Global Timber Ltd a five-year renewable timber harvesting licence for the selective thinning and resin extraction on Crown land forest in north Andros.

However, the minister refuted some of the article’s claims. The principals of the company, he insisted, include Bahamian citizens and American citizens who have sought additional assistance from a Chinese industrial and commercial investment company.

“(The claims are) untrue and can be nothing but an attempt by the writer to invoke xenophobia within the minds and hearts of the Bahamian people. This tactic should be strongly condemned as it is raising undue alarm in this nation and internationally. May I remind Bahamians that ‘Chinese’ is a nationality and not a race,” Mr Dorsett said.

“The only existing licences for forestry is the five-year licence issued by the Free National Movement in 2011 to a Canadian citizen in relation to two tracts of land in our Abaco forest estate, comprising 5,194 acres in Wilson City and 1,552 acres in Norman’s Castle.

“I have spoken publicly on the issue of resin tapping and selective harvesting on many occasions as the minister responsible for forestry. In 2015, my ministry published a document called, ‘Fulfilling the Charter’ where on page four it states: ‘There is potential for resin tapping to evolve on the island of Andros.’ Presently the government is considering a proposal made by a company that would like to harvest resin from trees on the island of Andros for export.’”

He continued: “On the August 28, 2015 the Forestry Unit issued an ‘approval in principle’ to Caribbean Global Timber Ltd. The principals of the company include Bahamian citizens and American citizens who have sought additional assistance from a Chinese industrial and commercial investment company.

“To say that there is a deal with the Chinese is misleading. Notwithstanding the above, to date all of the conditions imposed by the Forestry Unit reflected in the aforesaid letter have not been satisfied. Therefore, no licence has been issued.

“It should be noted that the existing pilot project in Abaco and the proposed project in Andros will assist the Forestry Unit in managing the selected areas in accordance with provisions of the Forestry Act and in an environmentally sustainable way. Under any forestry licence, trees are selected by the Forestry Unit to be utilised for resin and/or timber extraction. The systematic removal of selections will enable trees with the greatest potential to grow in size and have space to do so.

“All forestry resources remain vested in the government of the Bahamas. Land is neither granted nor leased. Licences are issued only for the removal of selected trees and for the sustainable use of the resource. Royalty fees are paid to the government for such activity. As we have done over the past few years and will continue to do so in the future, we encourage Bahamians to learn more about forestry and to get involved.”

Backlash

However, Free National Movement Deputy Leader Peter Turnquest castigated the government for placing itself in a position where it has to “dance to the tune” of others.

“No government should find itself in such a position and this is what is so egregious and concerning about the rumoured Chinese deal in Andros and all the significant stakes a foreign state owned operation has in our country,” Mr Turnquest said as he broke away from debating the Grand Bahama Investment Incentive Bill yesterday.

“Just this morning, Mr Speaker, there is another allegation that I think some 4,500 acres of land in Andros has been approved for a foreign owned entity to harvest timber.

“Most Bahamians just cannot believe that we are continuing on this trend particularly after so much outrage and concern has been expressed by the Bahamian public. It cannot go unnoticed on this government that the Bahamian people are particularly concerned about the dominant stake that a foreign country through entities that it influences has on our government.

“At some point we have to take the position that we will not sell ourselves for that proverbial couple of dollars because it has long term implications for our children. We must not tie them up like that. We must not,” the East Grand Bahama MP added.

Mr Turnquest also pointed to recent controversy involving Agriculture and Marine Resources Minister V Alfred Gray and a $2.1b fisheries proposal for Andros with Chinese investors.

However, standing on a point of order, Mr Gray was on the defensive as he sought to clear his name and threatened to reveal a list of FNM investment proposals.

Mr Gray said: “The member for East Grand Bahama knows better than he is saying. He is pandering to a public over whom he may have some control. (But) he’s not going to use me as a scapegoat. He’s not going to do that.

“I want to correct what he said about this deal with which the minister is involved. I said I am not involved in no deal, no discussion (or) any thing like it.”

Responding to seated MPs who shouted that Bahamians did not believe his statements, Mr Gray continued: “That’s your business and I am saying Mr Speaker in defence of my name nobody is going to take that privilege from me.

“I have not been in discussion with one Chinese about anything regarding anything in the Bahamas, not one Chinese. I have already said what I did and if they read the letter they wouldn’t be as intellectually dishonest as they are.”

Caribbean Global Timber Ltd

In a letter from the Ministry of the Environment and Housing to the attorney representing Caribbean Global Timber Ltd, Permanent Secretary Christopher Russell wrote that the NEC agreed to the issuance of a five-year renewable Timber Harvesting Licence in accordance with the provisions of the Forestry Act 2010 and Forestry Regulations 2014.

However, the approval depended on several conditions.

These included: hiring a minimum of 100 Bahamians within 90 days of beginning operations, engaging an environmental monitor to ensure compliance with the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and Environment Management Plan (EMP) and work in conjunction with the Bahamas Agriculture and Marine Science Institute (BAMSI) and the director of forestry to ensure all scientific research in shared between both entities.

In addition the company was mandated to construct a pine forest production plant on a suitable site to be determined on the island of Andros within one year from the date of approval. This facility was to include rooms to accommodate executive housing, staff housing and a cafeteria among other things.

Bahamian contractors were to be used for the construction of this facility, key non-Bahamian management personnel and owner representatives were to be considered for work permits, the letter outlined.

However, if the company could not produce satisfactory EIA and EMP documents, which were approved by the BEST Commission and the director of forestry, the license would not be issued.

This information came from documents Mr Dorsett tabled in the House yesterday.