Last night, we told you about the protest that members of the Village of Barranco in Toledo staged yesterday evening.
They were expressing outrage that 2 persons who are not members of their community were granted concessions to conduct logging activities in the forest and jungle areas near to Barranco.
As we told you, the villagers are particularly upset about the logging permits, because some members of the community have applied for similar access, but they were denied.
Tonight, we bring you a little more from that protests with the help of our friends from PGTV News:
Resident
"I am disappointed in the government and our area representative, because I am about to turn 18 and I will can't go into the jungle to cut a few trees to build my house, but the people who have money and already have better houses than us to just come and cut it without I have any knowledge about it and our natural resources we basically use that to support ourselves, our families depend on that, so they are taking away our resources and we will not have anything of they continue."
Resident
"So many of our men in the village applied for concession and nobody from here got it."
Resident
"I am a retired teacher, I supposed to be sitting down enjoying my retirement, but when I see my people going through this plight, it also becomes a part of me to see my people and when we have to be traveling up and down this road and so many heavy-duty vehicles are passing up and down, back and forth and worsening the road conditions than the way it is. When I have to see so many endless logs going from the village and going out of the village, I am concern about our next generation what will become of them, would they be able to enjoy some of what I am enjoying today. I am concerned about the future of these children we have with us this evening and I am concerned about the village council that we have place in power who supposed to be there fighting for us. If it wasn't for us they wouldn't be where they are."
Resident
"You came here to Barranco and told us lies. You said that the first preference is be Baranconas, what did you do now? You sign concession for people outside of Barranco."
Yesterday, multiple sources suggested that logging permits were granted to the son and daughter of Mike Espat, the PUP Area Rep. for Toledo East, who is also the Minister of State in the Ministry of Finance, Economic Development & Investment.
This morning, we contacted his colleague Orlando Habet, who is the Minister with responsibility for Forestry.
He's out of the country but told us Via WhatsApp, quote, "Yes, it is true that one Melanie Nah (accordingly Minister Espat's daughter). Mr. Mahler also got a concession along with Barranco Village Councillors Arzu and Valencio (Chairman and Deputy Chairman respectively). One Mr. Colon, [who] I saw on a video posted by Mr. Wil Maheia, got concession in 2020-2021, but not 2022. And, I am told an Alfonso Villafranco from Jacintoville, Rene Alvarez from PG and Fabian Cayetano from Barranco also got a concession not in Barranco but in other zones." End quote.
He added that he had a meeting with the Village Chairman, and last year, he was presented by a letter signed by former Prime Minister Dean Barrow, which promised consultation with the Village Council. He said that there was no indication of whether or not decisions are made by the Council.
The Minister told us that out of a total of 140 applications for logging concession, only 15 applicants were successful and received licenses.
Habet also provided further insight on this issue, saying, quote, "The unfortunate thing about these concessions is that most [applicants] turn around and sell them to other companies (mostly Mennonites). No sawmill and no sawn lumber in the village: therefore no job creation for the village nor by-products for use by the village." End quote.
