Residents of the Garifuna village of Barranco in the Toledo District are angry with the Forestry Department - which - they say - has basically sold them out.
The issue is logging licenses that have been issued to outsiders, after five villagers claim their license applications were rejected. So, they feel their village's precious resources are being exploited by others with the complicity of the Forest Department.
Today, they told PGTV why they feel deliberately disenfranchised:
Leslie Colon - Barranco Villager
"We've been treated unfair you know because if those concessions would push through, we as Barrancoans would make sure our community benefit. We are looking at this as a economic source to make us could develop ourselves because the government no reached out to us, they no try to provide ways and means how we could - so we try amongst ourselves as people to try develop ourselves. I noticed that everywhere developed through natural resource that's why if we don't tap into what we have right - for years and years this is happening to us, we the take lick for years over 20 years now they are logging us out and no benefit for the community. We see the community the take lick, the roads bad, the wharf, those places in shambles and we still no the see, still not getting nothing. The logs are doing out, we need to benefit."
Reporter
"Who are taking out the logs?"
Leslie Colon
"Well, outsiders taking the logs."
Nathaniel Cayetano
"Everybody agreed, 39 people agreed for logging of concession."
Reporter
"The Barranco people - and so far there has been none granted to Barranco?"
Nathaniel Cayetano
"All that was granted was rejected."
Fabian Cayetano
"For our voice to be heard and for us to be heard and to correct the injustice that has been given Barranco under the guise of the logging concession - the rejected logging concession."
According to them, the law states that communities must be consulted before logging concessions are given out.
Chief Forest Officer Wilbur Sabido told us today that he "had agreed to a meeting with some representatives from Barranco next week Tuesday to hear their concerns and to clarify any issues. So as not to pre-empt the discussions, he declined comment today.
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