…another attempt to fool Region 10 residents
LIKE the many earlier newspaper and television ads by the opposition, the whole page ad in the KN (25-11-11) is also misleading, since it gives the impression that these companies are still viable forestry companies, by stating that “Unamco/Case Timbers investment aims to create 1500 jobs under the APNU/AFC alliance: restarting forest and saw-milling operations along with the long overdue construction of the veneer plant”. The attempt at deceiving the public is also in the caption “The good life for Region 10”.
The reality is that the Unamco/Case Timbers companies were perpetual defaulters- they did not use the large prime forest beneficially; in fact, even after in excess of 10 years, there was absolutely no production from Case Timbers Limited and this was eventually legally re-possesed by government after numerous meetings with the principals and key GoG officials, including the Min. of Agri, and HE.
Unamco was not renewed upon expiration of the initial agreement because the under productive company could not guarantee the government that it had the wherewithal to beneficially occupy the concession. This was after it was requested on numerous occasions to submit feasibility plans; plans submitted were totally impractical.
Bearing in mind that an obligation under their first TSA agreement was to set up a plywood and veneer plant, something they simply failed to do, how does APNU intend to get this done now?
Also, note that the PPP/C pushed continuously for this promised investment to materialise, and did not put any hindrances in the way of Unamco.
The only conclusion any sane person can come to after reading this deceptive ad is that APNU has accepted the fact that they are losers. This is the only reason why they would promise something they cannot deliver on.
For example, the companies have not been active players in the forestry sector over the last five years at least; then, they simply do not have any state forest concessions now, due to their continued and drastic non- compliance with even some of the fundamental clauses of their agreements, including severe indebtedness to the GoG. No access to state forest translates into no possibility of a viable veneer mill, no jobs and definitely NO GOOD Life for Region 10.
But as usual, the PPP/C Government is miles ahead of APNU, and by extension, its cohort, the AFC, because it has made that same state forest previously issued to Unamco and CTL, available to Region 10 already. Thus, it is continuing to provide a better life for the Region 10 residents, continuing a process that started since the PPP was formed, and which blossomed with even greater pace since the PPP/C took office in 1992.
This state forest will now directly benefit thousands of residents from Linden, Ituni, Aoraima, Kwakwani, Hururu, through the Community Forestry Organizations.
Their lives will not only be good under the PPP/C, it will be even better with the recent commissioning of the Region 10 Community Kiln Drying Complex, an entity which will be managed directly by Region 10 residents themselves, with GFC technical support; this will help create more added value products and increase the socio-economic conditions, thus, working together for a better tomorrow.