The restructuring of the Guyana Forestry Commission (GFC) is not intended to be a “witch hunt” or to advance a political agenda, but rather, to bring the agency into alignment with Government’s green agenda and modernisation.
Natural Resources Minister Raphael Trotman
This is according to Natural Resources Minister, Raphael Trotman, in response to recent publications in sections of the media with regard to calls made for the removal of the Task Force’s convenor, Clayton Hall, or the quashing of the restructuring process.
“I’ve seen some letters in the press and have been able to ascertain that some were deliberately planted. GFC has found itself in an embarrassing situation regarding salaries and the servicing of some debts…In so far as the Task Force is concerned, Mr Hall is only one of several persons and I am looking for the collective view of all to be brought to bear and don’t expect the view or opinion of one person to be dominant,” the Minister told Guyana Times on Sunday.
According to him, he will continue to monitor the work of the Task Force, and if he realises that it is going “contrary to Cabinet’s direction”, then he will intervene.
Earlier this month, Government announced that the GFC needs to be restructured in keeping the national objective of moving towards a “green” economy and the consequent realignment of critical agencies of State. But after the first meeting in this regard between relevant authorities and the GFC’s staff on Friday, the workers are calling on the Administration to halt this move or replace the “Restructuring” Committee’s convener, Clayton Hall.
According to some staff who were present at the meeting, the event was initially planned to “put the minds of staff members at ease” that the restructuring of the GFC is “well-intended and aimed at positive outcomes.”
Several questions were posed concerning issues such as the merging of the Monitoring Division and Resources Management Division, dismissal of staff members, if the restructuring process was a “witch-hunting exercise” aimed at removing specific individuals from the GFC and if the Task Force, which Hall heads is experienced in Human Resources Management to undertake a task such as this, among other questions.
However, according to a staff member, Hall was “unprepared for those questions” and responded instinctively, which was deemed as the “most striking degree of unprofessional conduct”.
This publication understands that this situation was witnessed by an average of 230 GFC staff along with members of the Commission and several Board members.
“Hall has brought embarrassment to the Ministry of Natural Resources and the honourable Minister Trotman, whom he represents. He has shown his true colours as a partisan political operative who has motives that will not serve the GFC well, not on this restructuring process nor on any process in the future. His judgement is not objective; he is not fair-minded nor is he open-minded,” a letter from concerned staff to this media house stated.
As such, staff members of the GFC are contending that if the Natural Resources Ministry is well-intended on this restructuring process, they will consider forthwith, “a more logical and transparent route to the restructuring, in resting this important activity to the GFC Board as the main body that oversees the Commission”.
The Task Force was established jointly between the Ministry and the Board of Directors of the GFC to address the reorganising and restructuring of the Commission. Guyana has an area of 214,970 km2 of which nearly seventy-five per cent is covered with natural vegetation. Of this area, approximately four-fifths is classified as State forests under the jurisdiction of the GFC.
According to the Ministry earlier this month, the Task Force will include the technical and administrative talent and personnel of the Natural Resources Ministry, the Board, and the Commission who will examine the structure and functioning of the GFC to make recommendations to Minister Trotman. He, in turn, is mandated to present a report to Cabinet.
