ST ELIZABETH, Jamaica — The Forest Service has issued a statement to address what it describes as a “misleading and false narrative” surrounding an incident where officers were allegedly obstructed by local residents while attempting to confiscate illegally cut timber near QuickStep in Trelawny.
Forestry Conservation Authority CEO Ainsley Henry clarified on Sunday that the authority had successfully intercepted illegal logging activities in the Cockpit Country Conservation Area on Friday. The Forest Service team reported that a truck loaded with timber had left the site before their arrival at around 7 a.m. The team began the process of recovering the timber but was reportedly barricaded by local residents, which hindered their mission.
Chief Richard Curry of the Accompong Maroons has been named as a suspect by the police. Curry has defended his actions by questioning the Forest Service’s intentions with the mahogany timber. He expressed his concerns on social media, asking, “What is the Forest Service doing with mahogany? It’s solid mahogany. You know how old this tree was… So when we have an issue and we raise the issue, it’s as if we are in the way…”
In response to the incident, Henry reported that over 500 trees had been taken in illegal logging operations, with 150 of those having been recovered by the Forest Service.
