Ecobreves – HONDURAS: Legislators Halt Forestry Law

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TEGUCIGALPA, May 13 2006 (IPS) - Honduran lawmakers are resisting approval of a new forestry law, and have agreed to start a new dialogue that overrules the one initiated more than eight years ago by civil society groups, politicians, labor unions and business organizations. Legislative deputy Paola Castro, president of the commission that would draft the new law, told Tierramérica that “today we have new legislators and we believe it's best to start from zero.”

But environmental leader Juan Almendares, of the Madre Tierra group, said in a Tierramérica interview that the lawmakers “are delaying the issue because they don't want a good law that favors the forests.”

The bill proposes the creation of a Forest Ministry, national and municipal commissioner's offices, as well as the post of forestry regent, which would oversee logging opertations, and penalties for those who illegally cut and transport forest products. The law also calls for punishments of 6 to 12 years in prison for violators.