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#473318 09/25/13 04:50 AM
Joined: Oct 1999
Posts: 84,397
Marty Offline OP
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Rosewood may be on a strict moratorium but the precious hardwood is still being extracted from forests in the south!

A joint operation led by the Forestry Department on Friday took them into the Deep River Forest Reserve to an area which can only be accessed by waterways.

They found over a thousand feet had been cut - which they started to extract by boat.

Today, Chief Forest Officer Wilbur Sabido told KRem Raido News about it:..

Wilbur Sabido, Chief Forest Officer
"We on Friday found over 50 pieces of Rosewood totaling approximately 1500 board feet."

KREM reporter
"What will be done with the Rosewood once it is all retrieve from the area?"

Wilbur Sabido, Chief Forest Officer
"The intention is to make it available to the local market because as it is right now we are not allowing - we have a zero tolerance in essence for any new material that is being requested for export. In other words we won't entertain any such request. Absolutely no licenses have been issued for the harvesting or cutting Rosewood."

"We are mindful that there may be individuals that are still cutting and so we do ask for the public's assistance. We have been very responsive in terms of reports that we get and we have had some seizures."

No one was found in the area so no charges can be levied at this time.

Channel 7


Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 5,563
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WHY NOT USE IT TO PAY OFF THE GOVERNMENT DEBT?
Since they confiscated it - hooray - therefore paid nothing for it --- why not sell it at reasonably high prices to ALL local businessmen. NOT to government friends and family -- but to legitimate builders and cabinet makers who posses a license. This could be a win win situation.
Wouldn't you love to have a dresser made of Rosewood?


Harriette
Take only pictures leave only bubbles
Joined: Oct 1999
Posts: 84,397
Marty Offline OP
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Rosewood plunder on the rise in Toledo despite existing moratorium

The wholesale pillaging of rosewood in southern Belize continues unchecked despite a moratorium which came into effect in February 2012. And we can report tonight that since the start of the annual dry season there has seen a spike in illegal harvesting activities within the Toledo District.� On Tuesday, an operation in the vicinity of Trio Village reportedly yielded a Chinese businessman an undisclosed number of flitches.� This is the second encounter since last month involving the plunder of rosewood trees.� In early February, rangers from the Sarstoon-Temash Institute for Indigenous Management happened upon a well organized operation within the area of the Sarstoon-Temash National Park.� That chance meeting involved Guatemalan loggers who were felling rosewood along the Belize/Guatemala border near Black Creek.� With the more recent encounter occurring on Tuesday afternoon, concerns are being raised regarding the effectiveness of the suspension.� According to Wil Maheia, of PGTV, there were no indications that Forest Officers were unaware of the activity, nor is there much effort being placed on the policing of the forest.

Via phone: Wil Maheia, PGTV

Via Phone: Wil Maheia

"Despite the moratorium, rosewood is being cut in our district.� A few weeks ago, SATIIM intercepted a number or rosewood flitches inside the Sarstoon-Temash National Park.� That went unchecked and uncensored, then as recent as yesterday, a container full of rosewood left Trio Village going north in a black Mack truck and if there is a moratorium on rosewood our question here in the Toledo District is why is rosewood still being cut, still being harvested and still being shipped out of the district?"

Isani Cayetano

"Do you know if, based on your observation of the activity which took place on Tuesday, whether forestry officials were involved or was this either an isolated case where there was no one around to check on what was taking place?"

Wil Maheia

"Clearly it was in the middle of the day, so clearly [the] Forestry [Department] should have, or someone in Forestry definitely knows about the fact that rosewood was being exported or loaded into a container from Trio Village.� Is the Chief Forest Officer or anyone in the Forest Department is saying this is salvaged wood I would like to challenge them on that because clearly this wood was recently cut and it is going out of the district.� And if there is, like they say, a moratorium on rosewood, then how come, how is it that so much rosewood is still being exported and leaving the district and where are the forest officers?"

Isani Cayetano

"Was there an attempt on your part to ascertain who this activity is being conducted under, i.e. the businessman or the company involved in this operation?"

Wil Maheia

"Yes, definitely the information we have received so far is that there is some Chinese company, Edison B, by the name of Edison B who has the permission or who has the authority to export it.� As far as we are concerned it's a Chinese company that claims the name Edison B."

right

Isani Cayetano

"Were any officials notified at the point where you or whomever observed this activity taking place, were any officials notified of what was happening?"

Wil Maheia

"Well, our complaints, I instantly called the Forest Department, the calls go unanswered and I am sure that other people have called them and notified them and informed them of the fact that rosewood is being moved from the Toledo District and it continues to move from the Toledo District.� It seems as though there is no regards for the laws of Belize when it comes to rosewood or the people involved in rosewood are above the laws of this country."

The value of the rosewood cannot be appraised because the quantity is undetermined.�

Channel 5


Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 2,461
K
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K
Edison sells to German Vega, the deputy Prime Ministers brother, Gaspar Vega. Would bet Vega is the future 'leader' of the udp, which is distressing, considering the above board illegal acts perpetrated by him. What about those flying below the radar? Not sure he could pass intl muster


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Harriet, good question, but the last lot was burned by Min Alamilla because no one could insure the confiscated wood would not find its way back into Min Vegas hands. And it did...so sad


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I have been told all the rosewood is being stored in Vegas warehouse in Orange Walk and has not left the country. I should be recovered and used to start a furniture industry in the Toledo District where it originated.


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