For the past two weeks - we've been reporting heavily on the controversial proposal to grant a logging license to a furniture company named Belize Woodmark Design in the Western Hardwoods area of the Mountain Pine Ridge Forest Reserve.
Credible community oriented conservationists have come out against it - following the lead of the Chief Forestry Officer - who rejected the proposal in a leaked technical report.
Well, the Prime Minister is ignoring the conservationists' cries - and looking right past that to Channel 7. He seems to think it's all our fault. Jules Vasquez looked at his most recent remarks:
Reporter
"Logging license in Mountain Pine Ridge Forest Reserve. Are you concerned about that and how it's being done?"
John Briceno, Prime Minister
"I really wish our journalists would be more responsible."
Well, we've been following the counsel of the lead technical officer in the country, Chief Forest Officer, Wilber Sabido. But what the PM does not say is that Sabido is on the outs with the Briceno administration:
July 02, 2025
Reporter
"Is it true that the Chief Forest Officer who advised not to grant the license is on leave? And why?"
Orlando Habet, Minister of Sustainable Dev.
"The chief Forest officer is on leave because he has 70 days leave and he requested from the CEO to go on leave for 2 weeks."
John Briceno, Prime Minister
"It's unfortunate that a disgruntled member of the department leaked that to Channel 7 to create political mischief."
Well, we certainly didn't get Sabido's report from any member past or present of the forest department. But, there are leaks aplenty in forestry - and they come from both sides of the logging dispute. This one - which came to us from sources which - shall we say are sympathetic to the logging license - showed us this - a 10 day logging license approved for the Paddy Creek area - which is in the Western Hardwoods - in 2018 which is during Sabido's tenure - although he did not sign it.
His critics say that on the basis of that alone - Saibdo's moral authority to advise against a long term license is vitiated.
While that may be arguable, it seems the PM's mind is made:
John Briceno, Prime Minister
"We are finding, we're doing to the right way, we want to protect the Mountain Pine Ridge Reserve, it's in our interest to protect it. It is our responsibility to do that and that's exactly what we're doing."
Best reports say that despite opposition, the Woodmark Permit is in process. Woodmark itself has issued a statement - but, also, did not address the issues raised by the conservation groups.
