Guyana Timber Legality Assurance System
The Independent Audit aims to assess and improve the operation, credibility, and efficiency of the GTLAS. Regularly checks will be done to ensure that all aspects of GTLAS work correctly.
The audit will cover all stages of the supply chain, namely legal status, legal access to the forest, harvesting, transportation, non-compliance and confiscated timber, processing, sale, import and export.
Tasks of the Independent Auditor will include, but are not limited to:
- Preparing a manual of procedures for the audit’s operations.
- Assessing that the GTLAS is functioning credibly and efficiently, and that timber harvested, processed, transported and traded (domestic and internationally) complies with the legal requirements.
- Verifying that the components of the GTLAS are in place and functioning credibly and efficiently.
- Assessing the performance and effectiveness of departments involved in the operation of the GTLAS within the GFC.
- Assessing the performance and effectiveness of verification activities of Government ministries and agencies involved in the operation of GTLAS.
- Assessing the process for issuing FLEGT Licences to ensure that the licence issuance and verification system are functioning credibly and efficiently.
- Assessing how reported cases of non-compliance by the different Government ministries and agencies involved in the GTLAS’ verification process are recorded, addressed and archived by each.
- Identifying gaps and weaknesses in the design and implementation of the GTLAS and suggest recommendations to the JMRC.
- Assessing the implementation of corrective measures decided by the JMRC to address gaps and weaknesses identified in audit reports.
- Reporting findings and recommendations to the JMRC, which will publish the summary of these audit reports regularly.
