EU FOREST LAW ENFORCEMENT GOVERNANCE AND TRADE Stakeholder Consultation Session on FLEGT in Regions One, Seven, Eight, Nine and Ten. Moruca, Mabaruma, Port Kaituma, Bartica, Kaikan, Kato, Campbelltown, Lethem, Aishalton, Kwakwani Draft Report Sunil Gopaul Head, Special Projects Unit Technical Officer, EU FLEGT Secretariat Guyana Forestry Commission th Prepared; October 7 , 2015 This project has been funded with support from the Department For International Development (DFID). This communication reflects the views only of the author. DFID cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein. Page | 1 CONTENTS List of Acronyms....................................................................................................................................................…...3 Introduction……………………………………………………………………………………………...5 Purpose of Session……………………………………………………………………………………………6 Summary of Sessions…………………………….…………………………………………………7 Stakeholder Feedback……………………………………..…………………………………………….12 Content of Presentations………………………………...………………………………………………37 Conclusion ……………………………………………………………………………....………………46 Next Steps………………………………………………………………………………………..………46 Pictures of Sessions………………………………………………………………………………………47 Page | 2 List of Acronyms COMSTRAT Communication Strategy COP Code of Practice CDC Community Development Council DFID Department For International Development DCoF Deputy Commissioner of Forests EU European Union EFI European Forest Institute EUTR European Union Timber Regulations EC Export Certificate FAO Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations FLEGT Forest Law Enforcement Governance and Trade FPDMC Forest Products Development and Marketing Council FTCI Forestry Training Centre Inc. FSC Forest Stewardship Council FMO Forest Management Organization/Operator GFC Guyana Forestry Commission GGMC Guyana Geology and Mines Commission GTLAS Guyana Timber Legality Assurance System GPS Global Positioning System GYD Guyana Dollars GLD Guyana Legality Definition GRA Guyana Revenue Authority IPC Indigenous Peoples’ Commission IA Independent Auditor IFM Independent Forest Monitoring JMRC Joint Monitoring and Review Committee Page | 3 LCDS Low Carbon Development Strategy MOIPA Ministry of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs NTWG National Technical Working Group NTC National Toshaos’ Council NIS National Insurance Scheme PPEs Personal Protective Equipment REDD+ Reduce Emission from Deforestation and Forest Degradation SFP State Forest Permission TMC Timber Marketing Certificate TIN Tax Identification Number VC Village Council VLO Verified Legal Origin VPA Voluntary Partnership Agreement WTS Wood Tracking System Page | 4 Introduction Illegal logging and its associated trade is responsible for loss of revenue, environmental and social damage worldwide. In recognition of its contribution to this global issue, the EU in 2003 developed its FLEGT Action Plan. An important aspect of this Action Plan is the development of Voluntary Partnership Agreements with timber producing countries with the aim of ensuring that only legally produced timber and timber products are exported to the EU. Under this arrangement a country voluntarily enters into the VPA process and after proceeding through the different phases, the agreement becomes law in the EU and the partner country. Several countries in West Africa, South East Asia, Central America and South America have since signaled their intention to enter into the VPA process with the aim of eventually signing a VPA. In South America, Guyana has been the first country to enter the VPA process. In 2012, after a series of engagements with key internal and external stakeholders, the Government of Guyana made a policy decision to enter the VPA process with the EU and envisaged eventual signing of a VPA in 2017. Since this decision, a series of initial follow up activities were undertaken in Guyana: an assessment of Guyana’s Legality Assurance System was completed, the National Technical Working Group was formed to steer the VPA process, stakeholder engagement activities were conducted and the FLEGT Secretariat was established to support the NTWG in advancing the VPA process. In pursuing this process, Guyana aims to formulate a pragmatic VPA which captures the parameters of strong forest governance, sound environmental principles, legality and wide stakeholder input. Two negotiations have been held, the first was held in 2012 and the second in 2013-2014. Additionally, several annexes (Annexes I, II, III, IV, VI, X) of the VPA have since been developed and are in draft form. Two projects; the Scoping of Impacts Assessment and the Communication and Consultation Strategy have been completed and stakeholder engagement activities, an integral component of the VPA process, have continued. After conclusion of the second negotiation, the National Technical Working Group commenced in June 2015, a 3rd round of National Level FLEGT Consultation Sessions aimed at updating stakeholders on the proceedings of the third Negotiation whilst simultaneously eliciting their feedback on the VPA process and various VPA annexes that were drafted. This document reports on nine of those sessions held in Region one, seven, eight, nine and ten; Moruca, Mabaruma, Port Kaituma, Bartica, Kaikan, Kato, Campbelltown, Aishalton, Lethem and Kwakwani. Page | 5 Purpose of the FLEGT Session The Sessions were purposed towards the achievement of the followings: 1. To introduce, enhance knowledge and share general information on EU FLEGT 2. To present and gather feedback on the following updated documents: a) Annex 1 - Product Scope b) Annex II - Guyana Legality Definition (4th Draft) c) Annex III - Conditions Governing the Release for Free Circulation in the Union of Timber Products Exported from Guyana and Covered by a FLEGT License d) Annex IV- Requirements and Technical Specifications for FLEGT Licenses e) Annex VI - Terms of Reference for Independent Audit of the TLAS. f) Annex X – Information to be Made Available to the Public g) National Wood Tracking System 3. To present a general overview of the following; a) Annex V – Description of the Guyana Timber Legality Assurance System (GTLAS) b) Annex VII – Implementation Schedule c) Annex VIII – Support Measures For Implementation d) Annex IX – Criteria For Assessing the Operationality of GTLAS e) Annex XI – Joint Monitoring and Review Committee 4. To outline the progress of Guyana’s VPA process especially in relation to negotiations between Guyana and the European Union, the Roadmap for Guyana EU FLEGT VPA process, stakeholder engagements 5. To specifically highlight the outcomes of the third negotiation between Guyana and the European Union held in Georgetown, Guyana in April, 2015. 6. To provide a platform for stakeholders to raise concerns, seek clarifications and state recommendations and expectations pertaining to Guyana’s VPA and its progress thus far. Page | 6 Summary of Sessions On August 3rd 2015, two teams from the FLEGT Secretariat comprising members of the National Technical Working Group commenced National EU FLEGT Consultations with stakeholders in Interior regions. Team one (1) was led by Mr. Sunil Gopaul (Head of Special Projects Unit, FMD, GFC) with different NTWG members interchanging to support the needs/concerns of the different stakeholder types for the different areas. Team two (2) was led by Mr. Kenny David, Head of FLEGT Secretariat). This report is based on the clusters completed by team one (1). See table 1 for a list of these clusters. It should be noted that the sessions were not limited to Amerindian community members or representatives of logging associations but also included representation from Sawmillers, Lumberyard dealers, Regional Democratic Councils as well as other state forest operators (Miners and Farmers) within the various areas. Schedule Team one (1) conducted a series of consultation sessions based on the 2015 EU FLEGT Consultation Schedule and the Joint Roadmap for the VPA process. Team one (1) conducted sessions with various indigenous communities and logging associations using a cluster based approach targeting stakeholders in the following clusters; TABLE ONE (1) Regions Cluster Date of Meeting (2015) Team Members No. of Cluster 1 Moruca August 3 – 4 Sunil Gopaul (FLEGT Secretariat) Mabaruma August 6 – 7 Esther Sam (Ministry of Legal Affairs, NTWG) 3 Port Kaituma August 10 - 11 Derrick John (National Toshaos’ Council, NTWG) Lovell Robeiro (GFC) 7 Sunil Gopaul (FLEGT Secretariat) Bartica August 20 - 22 Adrian Smith (Ministry of Legal Affairs, NTWG) 1 Quintyn Patrick (FLEGT Secretariat) Special attendee: Dr. Alhassan Attah, DFID 7 Kaikan October 13 - 16 Sunil Gopaul (FLEGT Secretariat) 1 Adrian Smith (Ministry of Legal Affairs, NTWG) 8 Kato August 24 – 25 Sunil Gopaul (FLEGT Secretariat) Campbeltown August 27 - 28 Adrian Smith (Ministry of Legal Affairs, NTWG) 2 Quintyn Patrick (FLEGT Secretariat) 9 Tasreef Khan - DCoF (GFC, NTWG) Lethem August 31 – September Yvonne Pearson (IPC, NTWG) 2 Aishalton 1 Sunil Gopaul (FLEGT Secretariat) September 3 - 4 Basmatee Moha beer (GFC) Kenny David (FLEGT Secretariat) Sunil Gopaul (FLEGT Secretariat) Page | 7 10 Kwakwani September 30 – October Esther Sam (Ministry of Legal Affairs, NTWG) 1 2 Laura Singh (FPDMC, NTWG) Rodney Davis (Small Loggers Association, NTWG) Quintyn Patrick (FLEGT Secretariat) TOTAL 9 Additionally, GFC Forest Station Officers within the various cluster areas above attended the sessions and assisted in logistics. Agenda Each cluster based session