Tonight, another Minister of Government is under scrutiny, but not for any involvement with payments under the ten thousand dollar threshold. In this case, 7News has unearthed evidence showing that Minister of Sustainable Development with responsibility for Forestry Orlando Habet's son received a 30-year logging license in the Mountain Pine Ridge Forest Reserve.
So, is it another case of what would be called "self-dealing"? That's when a public official uses their official position to benefit their family and private businesses.
Jules Vasquez put the evidence together-based on questions we asked Minister Habet one year ago:
This is the 30-year logging license granted to Arch Timbers in August of 2022 for the Mountain Pine Ridge Forest Reserve.
A 30-year license has high commercial value and based on reports we were getting at the time-we asked the Minister if there was a related party involved:
Reporter
"Do any of your relatives or any related parties to you have any interests in a company named Arch Timbers which has a license to log in the MPR?"
Orlando Habet, Minister of Sustainable Development
"I believe in a company yes, as a member or a shareholder in a company yes."
The Minister's uncertainty was puzzling, because it's not just any relative or related party; it's his son, Arturo Pulido, who co-owns the company.
And Habet can't claim ignorance of this close relation because one and a half years before that interview-he initialed the document alongside his son, "AP".
According to company documents leaked to 7News, the other owner is Christopher Windsor, son of former Chief Forest Officer Marcello Windsor.
Arch Timbers was formed in February 2021, and within a year and a half-with no proven track record-it had obtained a lucrative 30-year logging license.
Reports we received at the time-and since confirmed-is that they then tried to sell the company-whose only value was the lucrative license signed by the co-owner's father-and two pieces of old equipment: one skidder and one backhoe.
In June, Forester Cesar Gudinez told us he was the 70% owner of Arch Timbers and said that he was paying for its cutting permits. We understand that ownership stake is now the matter of legal dispute.
So, was it a scheme-a come up?: get the license, and sell controlling interests in company whose only asset was that license?
In July of 2025, we heard that might be the plan so we asked Habet about that specific scenario-again, he was clueless:
Reporter
"We have received multiple reports of licenses being acquired by companies and then sold for a premium to other companies. Are you aware of this practice?"
Orlando Habet, Minister of Sustainable Development
"No I am not aware, not during our time at least."
Reporter
"This makes it appear that connected people, preferred people get licenses and then sell it for a profit to other companies - your response?"
Orlando Habet, Minister of Sustainable Development
"Not that I am aware of."
And while the corporate affairs of Arch Timbers is not the Minister's domain-it is his son's, who the company documents still say is a co-owner.
In June of 2025, Pulido, writing on behalf of Arch Timbers, has applied to the Forestry Department for an Ecotourism/Recreational Permit for Dan Shaw and Rio Hon Pools and No Objection for Zip Line Infrastructure at Rio Hon Pools.
Acting Chief Forest Officer John Pinelo responded favorably, noting technical requirements that would have to be fulfilled and saying, quote, "The Forest Department supports the idea of diversification within your concession area since it provides multiple sources of funding for your company while ensuring that the touristic value of the areas can still be enjoyed by public."
We reached out to both company owners, Pulido and Windsor, for comment-but up to news time, we had not received a response.
