Got a SUMMONS here....

YOU'VE GOT TO BE KIDDING

Martin:                 What?

Tinho:   You’ve been summoned by Sedema! (The Secretary of Defense for the Environment)

Martin:                 I know what that is, I’ve been denounced......

Tinho:   don’t jump to conclusions.

Martin: I’ll go with photos, how can I be denounced, we didn’t cut anything down.

Tinho:   You’re too far ahead of yourself....

Martin:                 no, better being prepared.

Tinho:   Just go and see

I remember thinking, “that’s all I need another thing to resolve”. It is ironic that the borough council make you get written permission for every tree that you are going to cut down or prune and you are even asked to replace the tree with saplings given into the local office, whilst large swathes of ‘rainforest’ are cut down by the ‘legalised’ saw mills before like locust harvesting on ripe crops move onto the next area when the land is bare. In saying that the Amazon State is the most conserved of the States which make up the Amazon Basin.

I grabbed my laptop and headed to see what the ‘summons’ was about, knowing fine rightly that I had been denounced for cutting down the ‘rainforest’ without the correct permission. Class a ‘gringo’ cutting down the rainforest!

On arrival I was ushered into the ‘Head mans office’ and yes I had been denounced for cutting down the rainforest. I had already thought through my reply.

I hadn’t sought permission as I hadn’t cut down any trees, just cleared land which had already been cultivated. If I was guilty of cutting down anything it was one tucuma palm tree! The only support I had for my words were photos...but I had plenty.

After the environmental engineer saw the photos he was satisfied....

I was free to cut back overgrowth for another day!

GUILTY AS CHARGED!!!! YES.......I DID CUT DOWN ONE PALM TREE