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“substandard” products. international markets, the industry will certainly benet
from initiatives geared at creating and expanding
As a country that has one of the highest percentage of domestic demand for timber and manufactured wood
forest covers in the world, Guyana can do more, he products. We believe this is a key step towards sector
highlighted. Gaskin noted that Guyana needs to recovery and to stimulate value-adding. And it can
nurture and develop the nation's resources in a way that happen through greater awareness as well as initiatives
can be used to its highest capacity. aimed at creating demand. In this regard the GMSA is
encouraged by the decision to consider having a greater
“We are importing wood products in a country that has share of national procurement for infrastructure and
one of the highest percentages of forest cover in the housing include locally produced timber products and
world. This is happening because we have not nurtured lesser used species. We believe there is opportunity to
or developed our nation resources in a way that fully extend this to the commercial sector as well as
exploits the value exchange associated with these households”.
resources. I do know that we are adding very little value
to our timber before it leaves our shores, I cannot say The GMSA President also alluded to the creation of an
what the wood that we export to various part of the internationally recognizable Guyana Brand to act as a
world each year is used for but I know for a fact that we Green Label for Guyanese products [starting with forest
can earn a lot more if we were to export a greater products] and which takes on board all of Guyana's for
proportion of that wood in value added products,” the example on EITI, EU-FLEGT, having one of the lowest
Minister told the gathering. deforestation rates in the world, etc.

President of GMSA Shyam Nokta in his remarks noted Attendees of the Timber Expo 2018 were impressed by
that while this sector has witnessed steady decline in Guyana's wood products while exhibitors lauded the
value added products the GMSA, for which forestry and success of the exhibition and called for it to be a xed
wood-processing is a large subsector, engaged feature on the Guyana Forestry Commission's (GFC)
Government through the mechanism of the Ministerial calendar.
Roundtable to discuss key issues affecting the sector and
proposed a menu of measures geared toward Nizam Ameerally, Managing Director of Eco-Woods said
enhancing the competitiveness of the sector. the expo has provided exposure to the downstream
production within the forestry sector.
He noted that these interventions can be helpful in
stemming the decline in the forestry and wood- “We say that value added is not just planning boards, its
processing sector. However, for the sector to expand and making furniture, woodcraft and all of that because we
grow to realise its true potential, challenges to use more of the wood when we do that. We have to
competitiveness need to be addressed which include continue to have the government continue cooperation
high cost of production, quality and market access and like this in setting a premise for the downstream to
in particular the domestic market. prosper and it will take off in my opinion,” Ameerally
According to Mr. Nokta “even as we seek to expand to said.

Durable Wood Products

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