Minister of Local Government and Regional Development, Nigel Dharamlall has instructed the Mayor and Town Council of Mabaruma and the Region One administration to halt the cutting down of century-old rubber trees which have been a hallmark of the town.
The Town Council and the regional administration had said the cutting down of the trees was to facilitate the construction of a road. The authorities had claimed that they had carried out consultations with residents who had agreed that the trees pose a danger to them.
Along with his instruction to stop the cutting down of the trees, Dharamlall ordered that the results of the consultation done under the last government, along with the names of persons and bodies participating, be published.
He has also instructed that the authorities discuss with the Ministry of Public Works the best engineering solution to have the road constructed with the trees remaining.
