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Forestry's Final Figures From The Rosewood Roundup
posted (May 22, 1996)
The Rosewood Amnesty finished two months ago and today the Forest Department released the final figures listing how much rosewood was collected during the 19 day period and from which purchasers. The Chief Forest Officer discussed it today:…

Wilbur Sabido - Chief Forestry Officer
"We're talking about a total of 400,000 port feet that has been declared to the forest department. Actually in total royalty we are talking close to $200,000 paid in royalty. In terms of tonnage we're talking close to about 580 tons to that 400,000 port feet that I mentioned before. All of the Rosewood that has been declared has actually been measured in the Toledo District. Currently we are in the process of supervising the loading of the Rosewood to the containers by various exporters. As it is right now especially in the South we have presently containers being loaded - what is done is basically, our officers keep a tally what is being loaded versus what is declared. So in essence when the time for exportation comes we need to have clear evidence in terms of the receipts being presented to us and is paid the royalty on the Rosewood that has been declared."

Jules Vasquez
"Have you all encountered any Rosewood that had been cut post amnesty - that had been cut between April 8th - 25th, 2013? You all said you would know because because it is distinctive and you can tell from the physical quality."

Wilbur Sabido
"Well we saw some that we felt was cut during the time that you mentioned, post the period that we had said we wouldn't be accepting any harvesting of Rosewood. Based on our estimate it was really a small percentage probably a 1-5% of the total that has been declared."

Reporter
"There have been allegations in the past of collusions between some of the persons harvesting or trading Rosewood and persons within the Government service and even within the forestry department."

Wilbur Sabido
"From way back I have spoken about that and I believe the Minister made absolutely clear her position of alleged corruption in the Forest department and throughout her ministry and certainly that is something that I too am very concerned about in terms of the allegations. Now I do recognize that for the Toledo district especially there have been numerous allegations and what we've done is we've in essence rotated staff out of the Machaca forestation. Also in terms of the checks and balances for this batch of Rosewood that is being allowed for export, we have been very meticulous in terms of documenting the flitches - flitch by flitch, where they come from and who we're buying it from. Also the check and balance occurs for instance in this case in the Toledo District, they are supervising the loading, also when it reaches the port - there will be a new set of Forest Officers that inspect the container flitch by flitch if they have some suspicion that there is some mixing of stamp with unstamped material. So that we feel is an added level of scrutiny."

Jules Vasquez
"How about the value? How will the market value be determined and when will the Government get it's 50% of them?"

Wilbur Sabido
"In all honesty I'm not completely certain of those arrangements that have been made between the Ministry and the exporters in terms of the 50%. I would gather that they will need to present legitimate receipts from whoever it is they sell the material to and based on that the Government will be deriving it's portion that they had agreed with exporters."

Sabido sent us the list this evening. It lists the amnestees – if we can call them that – where they are from, the volume of Rosewood they claimed under the amnesty and the amount paid in Royalty. But we note that the intended exporter – which in most cases is GIV Import/Export Company is not listed.

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