Bai Shan Lin uses naturalized Guyanese to acquire large logging concession
APRIL 29, 2015 | BY KNEWS |NO VALUED-ADDED PROCESSING AS PROMISED – LOGS EXPORTED
There is evidence that months before becoming a naturalized Guyanese, Chu Hongbo, the principal in Bai Shan Lin Forest Development Inc., had a Guyanese holding almost 700,000 hectares of state lands for him.
Bai Shan Lin trucks with logs in Region One, Essequibo.
The forested lands were immediately transferred to Chu and Bai Shan Lin’s control after the Chinese investor received his Guyanese citizenship last year.
The transaction has raised several questions, one of which is why concerns were not triggered by the ,Guyana Forestry Commission (GFC) and the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) that a Guyanese who is not a known logger, could be given control of such a large swath of forest as well as the legality of it being transferred later to Chu.
After Barama Company Limited, a Malaysian operation which has 1.6 million hectares, Bai Shan Lin is the third largest holder of state land that has been allocated for forestry activities. The company reportedly also has a significant foothold in the Mining sector.
