Minister feels heat and destroys Rosewood
On Wednesday night, a local alcalde busted a delivery truck in Deep River, Toledo which was being readied to transport over seven hundred pieces of rosewood destined for the lucrative export market. A moratorium on the extraction of the precious wood was put in place last year, but you wouldn’t know that because the illegal trade has continued to flourish under the noses of officialdom in the south. The moratorium was one of the first acts of the Minster of Forestry, Lisel Alamilla. Well today, the confiscated rosewood went up in smoke. Our cameras were rolling when the Minister set fire to the confiscated evidence which we are told will take at least three days to burn. News Five’s Isani Cayetano reports.
Isani Cayetano, Reporting
The incineration of over seven hundred logs by the Forestry Department this morning in Deep River is an outward expression of Minister Lisel Alamilla’s frustration with the continuous practice of illegal rosewood harvesting. Since the authorization of an immediate suspension of activities pertaining to the felling of the precious lumber almost a year ago, the Ministry of Forests is still trying to get a handle on the situation.
Lisel Alamilla
Lisel Alamilla, Minister of Forestry
“My ministry has had enough. Enough is enough. We have been battling this rosewood business for the last nine months since I assumed office and we have not been able to put a dent into the rosewood illegal logging. And so, we want a clear message sent [to] everyone who is involved in this rosewood business that the moratorium stands. We have never made any changes to the position and we have not allowed any exportation of rosewood since we cleared the amount that we had the last time when we had first set the moratorium in place.”
Over four hundred thousand dollars in lumber is going up in smoke today, illicit cargo that was destined for the foreign market. The holder of the concession is Hilmar Alamilla, a repeat offender.
Wilbur Sabido
Wilbur Sabido, Chief Forest Officer
“If you recall several weeks ago we had caught the same individual, or agents of this individual, operating under the current license and we caught the individual transporting rosewood flitches as well. We took them to court and the court basically decided in our favor. What the Forestry Department then did was to suspend the license, now in this particular instance the suspension is still in effect, meaning that there is a further violation on the part of the licensee, Hilmar Alamilla, in terms of the license conditions, meaning that we can then proceed to cancel the license; however, there are other conditions that we feel he has violated especially in terms of transporting or collecting material, rosewood material which, as the minister mentioned, is illegal to collect in the first place.”
While the source of the felled planks remains to be determined, what was discovered on Wednesday night was essentially a collection point a few hundred feet off the Southern Highway in Deep River.
Alfonso Cal, President, Toledo Alcaldes Association
“They have been sending a lot of rosewood like this in the night and I don’t know. This is what I told them, “Has the law changed? Has the law given [you permission] now that you can go and do your work in the night?”
And indeed, most of the clandestine activity is done at night under the cover of darkness. To make matters worse agents continue to visit these rural communities where they are convincing villagers that they have been given special concessions to log for rosewood.
Lisel Alamilla
“No one, absolutely no one has been given any permit to extract, to salvage, to export rosewood.”
Isani Cayetano
“Secondly, what measures or actions will be taken against Hilmar Alamilla? I know [that] he is the person that this concession is granted to and he is doing or what he has done has been deemed illegal. Will there be any actions taken against him?”
Lisel Alamilla
“His license, his concession will be canceled with immediate effect.”
Additionally, there is a move by the department to seize Alamilla’s assets, particularly the equipment being used to log and extract rosewood trees.
Wilbur Sabido
“What we’re planning is to, with immediate effect, is to lay charges against the licensee, in this case it’s Mr. Alamilla. I do realize that on Wednesday night there were other individuals which can easily be identifiable through the footage that the media gathered and we are also proceeding to lay charges against those individuals. Our plan is to make sure that we do not have a recurrence of this particular incident. We want to impress on the court and I hope that it does come across fairly well that there are a lot of assets that could actually be seized and that is our intention, not only the rosewood but also all the other assets that are actually found within this particular compound and which also belong to the licensee.”
The action, albeit symbolic, is one that is arguably a far cry from bringing the trade to a complete standstill. It is, in this case, safe to assume that there are other agents proceeding with the extraction of rosewood despite today’s effort. It is also the reason why the department is refocusing all its resources and energies on Toledo in 2013 in an effort to make a dent on the business. Reporting for News Five, I am Isani Cayetano.
As the rosewood continues to burn, it remains under heavy military guard.
They should have burnt Hilmar, not the innocent rosewood.
The good people of Belize should ALL turn their shoulders against the unrepentant criminal, Hilmar — shun him until he feels the heat and leaves the Jewel. He’s a cancer.
why burn the valuable wood???
Burn the worthless criminals!!!
How silly and stupid !!!
Even though it WAS not legal , hell, it is already cut down, confiscate it, sell it, auction it, we need to help the schools!!!!
How stupid, stupid.
Hell… help the churches with the money !!!!
Now, what did you accomplish?
Your stupidity will NOT stop the illegalities at all !!!!
After digesting this rosewood news, all rational men would declare that the government and the minister are exacerbating the events of this case and demonstrating their inability, incompetence , and unenlightenment in governance of the country. Why is the Minister destroying the evidence against the accused? So much asset went up in smoke to whose benefit ? to Belizeans or to the accused? No evidence, no case!! And the GOB representatives want to seize assets? Based on what. These people are power drunk and as such are stupid and idiotic. Present your case with all the evidence. You have no evidence now. Right now Belize looks a country run by little tin dictators.
After digesting this rosewood news, all rational men would declare that the government and the minister are exacerbating the events of this case and demonstrating their inability, incompetence , and unenlightenment in governance of the country. Why is the Minister destroying the evidence against the accused? So much asset went up in smoke to whose benefit ? to Belizeans or to the accused? No evidence, no case!! And the GOB representatives want to seize assets? Based on what. These people are power drunk and as such are stupid and idiotic. Present your case with all the evidence. You have no evidence now. Right now Belize looks a country run by little tin dictators.
This is just dumb. What message this sends? That our government is incapable of making wise decisions. It would have been far more beneficial for Forestry to sell the Rosewood to good markets. it would have taken less time to get rid of and our country would have made some much needed money.
Remove Mrs Alamilla and put someone that actually knows what they are doing. She is just getting reed of the evidence. Is these guy Alamilla family of hers? Put him in jail thats the only way he will learn. Confiscate all his equipment.
I agree with all the messages posted here. This decision was just plain Idiotic! Was this a decisions handed from the top or did she just do this (like it is said in Spanish) ‘por sus huevos’. Whaterver the case may be, I can tell not much thought was put to this. Plain stupid, irresposible and again Idiotic!
SP
I always knew she was incompetent. She hasn” t the faintest clue how to do her job . Drugs is one thing but expensive hard to obtain lumber . Come on , set a reasonable price and sell it. And government is crying for money yet they burn it. Minister I say this to you : You are stupid and as stupid as can be.
Can’t even build a proper fire. Those logs won’t burn stacked like that. Nobody in Forestry was ever in the Boy Scouts? Burning the wood instead of selling or using it is dumb enough, but if you feel burning it is the way to go atleast stack it right and have a real fire.
Stupid minister of ours!! For nothing she use her big head.
Bein by taking this person to court and putting the in prison. The governmet ha to take a hard stand somewhere, begin in ths place now. All I woul say is havea pan and not just react, this valuable carg should have been preserved if it were possible.
@SP I agree with you, there seems that there was no plan, but she took some action.
why burn the wood? sell it to some local furniture producer so it stays in Belize .
!!!!!!Stupid stupid stupid stupid!!!!!!!!!! Did I mention stupid? I don’t even know what else to say. Stupid!!!!! What’s next? Burn down the whole country? Stupid!!!!!!! You have not one good quality to think like this.
STUPID, STUPID
AND MORE STUPIDITY
ALL THE EFFORT AND EXPENSE MADE TO STOP SUCH ACTS
AND THEY BURN THE WOOD THAT COULD HAVE BEEN USED WISELY
OUT RIGHT STUPID
Wonder what these ministers think with…Definitely not their brains. It would be more sensible to have put those rosewood to good use.
I totally agree with all of the statements above, she has no caliber in being a minister. Burning the wood was not the answer, she should have burn her big fat head. Selling it and using it for evidence was probably the best decision. About HIlmar put him in jail and through the keys away. Destroying the beauty of our country and this idiot destroying all the evidence. Morans from the top where it starts..
Wake up Belizeans.
since they cant seem to control it, why dont the government cut the rosewood in a responsible, manner for export, and replant seedlings. oh, wait that mek too much sense and corruption would still be involved.
Sickening!!!!!
This is the most reprehensible misdeed we could ever imagine! We condemn the foolish, spiteful,
wasteful, short-sighted, egotistical action by this utterly incompetent official. To burn this incredibly beautiful and precious rosewood to “send a message”‘ she says? What message? The messagesent is that she has no capability of judgment, when this valuable asset could have been saved and redirected to the country’s benefit in so many ways.
No, the only real message to send is one of action, not weak words, to all the criminal thieves is that they will not get away with this activity and will pay dearly with imprisonment and loss of assets.
We used to hear stories about how the British made off with so much of then British Honduras’ precious mahogany and think badly of that. Now, to have Belizeans plunder their own asset to feed an international black market is just revolting. Come on, Belize, show your colors. Get tough on
these pirates and close them down, then put them in jail and throw the key away. We love Belize and we treasure rosewood, as well other native assets too much to remain silent at such an atrocious failure of judgment.
The person who harvested the lumber should have ALL his assets confiscated. That includes his house and any property he might own. Unless he can prove how he got the money legally.
The Minister is an idiot and should be removed from office and put in jail for burning hundreds of thousands of dollars of precious wood.
That rosewood could have been sold to the highest bidder at auction, and the money used to feed the poor or schools, or give the teachers or police a bonus or do something needed.
I bet the Asians would have paid millions.
The wood could also have been used to build valuable furniture for the prime ministers office where he meets with dignitaries. Where all future PM’s could show off our beautiful wood to all.
BUT > > > This is what happens when you put an ignoramus into office.
Why not chop the wood into firewood pies and give to villagers for their hot stove cooking?
Why not chop the wood into firewood pies and give to villagers for their hot stove cooking?
Omg ….
I cannot believe how BZ elect incompetent people. Why burn the wood when it could have been put to good use and help those poor people in the villages. This stupid action did nothing but hurt the people and BZ’s forestry. This lady beyond stupid and foolish.
This minster just gave the devil a sacrifice those schools ,church’s etc need chairs and other things those rose wood could have help the people of Toledo in a whole minister i see why you where appointed the party needed a clouded brain.
$#!% head minister.. ,, could have auctioned the logs,, or send build school chairs with it.. Idiotic move,, indeed!
This minster just gave the devil a sacrifice those schools ,church’s etc need chairs and other things those rose wood could have help the people of Toledo in a whole minister i see why you where appointed the party needed a clouded brain Punta Gorda Town Toledo District needs some one to assist miss Alamilla to use her brain skills lol.
While I am happy that we have women to represent us in governmen,t Minister Alamilla was incredible stupid to burn the Rosewood. It could have been sold, and the money could have help the schools ,other public institutions or even the village of Golden Stream. I know she is trying to send a message but to burn it was completely asinine.
Mr. Prime Minister, please put a rein on it! Please continue to enforce the laws on illegal harvesting of our precious resources but burn DRUGS not WOOD!
What a shame that this minister did not think this matter through and consult with her superiors to make a wise choice to confiscate the wood, protect it and focus all the energy on the criminal behavior instead of her own personal frustration in dealing with the problem.
I implore the government to go immediately and put out the fire, save the wood and take the necessary measures to utilize it on behalf of the country. Then prosecute the criminals involved in this violation of the statute forbidding such activity.
Does this government gave ANY guts????? If so, please exert yourself and lower the boom on this horrendous mess!
Ministers action was so foolish. sell the lumbers and pay scholarship for toledo student with it. straight and simple
OVER $400,000 in Rose Wood burned !!!???? I can see if it was drugs, burning it is acceptable but not ” Rose Wood ” ….. Belize City is under siege with money being the number 1 reason for most of the crimes, that wood should have been sold by the government and the proceeds used for whatever…. Burning it made no sense !!!
Why burnt the wood? My school is badly in need of chiars and five classrooms. These classrooms are scatter in the community ina unfriendly environment. The minister could have given us the rosewood to build a five classroom building furnish with enough furnitures.
Burning [a] evidence and [b] valuable hardwood that could have been sold to put some extra money into our empty national coffers was simply irrational. It was in custody, what was the rush to destroy it?
One Alamilla must resign, the other must be prosecuted.
If there is one single legislator in Belize who cares a fig about the illegal logging problem, let him or her introduce a bill that has actual teeth in it. Violators should have their property confiscated, and SERIOUS prison terms and FINES. How about ONE MILLION DOLLAR fines for EACH AND EVERY TREE CUT? That would take the profit motive out of it.
The penalties in the Jewel are ridiculously low. A reckless ship captain can damage a million dollars worth of reef, and face a small MAXIMUM fine. And then they promise to pay, leave the country, and our stupid government is left holding an empty bag, looking like fools. [Unless, of course, they received mordida to let it be so.]
For ALL environmental crimes, the penalty must be so huge that it doesn’t pay to break our laws.
But for today, let’s get rid of both Alamillas.
Stupid pp wow poor wood
why the burn the rosewood?
sell it and use the money to help poor are school..
I totally agree with all of the above, not only is she burning the evidence, she is burning cash the people are desparately in need of. This is the most idiotic assinine and dumbest thing a Minister of Government could do. Belizeans need to rise up against these bufoons who are masquerading under the guise of leadership. They are leading the Jewel to dammnation. This person should be removed from office immediately. She is incompetent and somewhat stupid.
This is so typical of GOB. Inept doesn’t even come close to describing their idiotic methods. Burn the evidence. Yeah, that was brilliant! She just lit a match to $400,000.00. And then they cry because they don’t have funds to enforce the law.
FOR ME IT IS HARD TO DIGEST THAT THE MINISTER IN CHARGE AND THE CHEIF FOREST OFFICER DID NOT KNOW WHAT IS HAPPENING.THIS LOOKS LIKE A DEAL WHICH DID NOT GO THROUGH AND HENCE THE DRASTIC STEP WAS TAKEN.MAY BE I AM WRONG BUT POLITICS MY FRIENDS IS UGLY AND MYSTERIOUS.
ANYWAYS THE CHIEF FOREST OFFICER AND THE MINISTER ON PAPER HAVE DONE A HEROIC JOB!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
This action is reminiscent of schoolyard behavior, infant schoolyard behavior at that! Is there any redemptive value in burning rosewood, an expensive produce? I guess it is equated to marijuana, cocaine and items of such a nature! What is the Minister thinking? Or does she think at all? Does petulance and spite have any room in this? Could some funds be redeemed from the sale of this rosewood which could have gone to some project? Things cannot be that bad when things of economic value are being destroyed purposefully to show a point! I am trying to figure what point is being driven home! These tpyes of knee jerk reactions are the type that make things worse rather than better! There is not much more to say about this as whatever I say will just be an echo to what has been said in other quarters!
We have no idea with whom the lady is against in cabinet. To transfer the logs to court, keep it in storage and to guard it until court day does not only cost money but there is the risk of being stolen. Photos, films and videos are accepted as evidence in court. Lisel is probably very frustrated but certainly not stupid or idiot. What is more, she is probably the only minister in the entire govt. who is not corrupt. At least not yet. Therefore, back-off and leave the lady alone. GO GIRL GO.
Now why wood you burn wood and just waste it to me that is worst than the poachers themselves Wow!!! with so much people that need wood you would just burn it how can this be a example
My house needs fixing if they didnt want the wood they could have given me it ! What in the hell were they thinking???????? So much needy people could have benefited from it. They could have at least sold it and paid of some of the countries debts.
This is just plain out stupid mien.. Can you please wake up .. frig.. have them offenders plant 3 times the amount they are caught with. this is just stupid man.. why why would u burn the wood.. there are many many uses..
Incompetent persons in positions just makes it even more disturbing and setting the country back rather than moving forward…
Good Grief man..
under Vega, most license holders were named Vega now under this new Minister check this name, is this coincidence. Show the man face on TV and say if he is a relative of the Minister. that is crucial to the story.
Congrats minister, one can make these tough decisions when he/she does not have to think about being reelected. This is why the only ministers that are working are the three that were nominated. The PM know he has some dummies minister who we elected , that is why he is sorry he can only nominate three ministers by law.
NOT CORRUPTED? Hilmer and Lisel Alamilla. Does that ring a bell? These people are related and this probably been a family business for quite some time now. Now they got caught with their hands in the cookie jar AGAIN, she burns the evidence and think that we the people of Belize is stupid enough to not know better. She needs to be investigated……….
priceless wood gone in flames when they could have been in furniture for all gov. deps. or given to school offices like tables, podiums but anyways it’s over it’s ashes what a waste.
IN a sense i see the message the Minister is sending to the culprits
But on the other hand to better remedy this situation i would have confiscated all the lumber and lobied with Cabinet to grant me some carpenters from the Ministry of Works and use the Rosewood that was taken away to build at least a school or a recreation center at the most populated area where the lumber was found!
Tell me if that doesn’t make more sense????
Wow!!! Belize’s natural resources are being managed in a truly SUSTAINABLE manner!!! HOW IDIOTIC: When there is no solutions; it is easy to destroy!!! They could have build furniture for our poor school children!!