Archive for the 'Logging' Category

It was a coincidence that the day after I sent my “dear forest’ article to the Post Courier and a day before it was published, the PNG Forest Industries Association (PNGFIA) came out in the other daily on the same subject from the other angle.

While I called on Mrs Hilary Clinton to remind Australian PM Kevin Rudd to keep his 2007 election promise to legislate against import of illegal timber into Australia, the PNGFIA – represented by Rimbunan Hijau (RH) official Gabriel Samol was out again to promote RH’s  timber legality and traceability verification (TLTV) scheme and preaching corporate responsibility by encouraging PNG’s logging industry to uphold standards.

It is clear international markets are demanding compliance to environment standards in a global effort to reduce climate change and the perpetrators of environmental destruction will have no choice but to comply or pack up.

It seems in PNG the “packing up” is beginning with some large logging companies lossing their causes in courts against landowners and landowners refusing to renew their agreements and opting for seeking alternatives like carbon trading.

Interesting in this new global political responsibity, is the letters to the Australia PM by members of both the US Congress and Senate – encouraging Australia to adopt a similar law as the US Lacey Act to end this illegal timber trade.

Where forest countries do not have political will to get logging companies to comply with environment and forest laws, we must count on market countries to stop the import of timber and wood products from illegal and destructive logging.

My thoughts are in Focus Column in today’s Post Courier.

Dorothy Tekwie

$US40 mil warning – PC News 15 August 2008

THE Papua New Guinea Forest Owners Association (FOA) is calling for immediate establishment of a commission of inquiry into allegations of $US40million having been “parked’’ in a Singapore bank.

They are also calling on the leaders of Kikori and Ihu, Minister Mark Maipakai and Gulf Governor Havila Kavo to explain whether they knew anything of the allegations.

FOA president Dominic Evere yesterday warned that failing these requests all logging operations and other resource development would be halted in Gulf Province until the Government and their leaders responded.
Mr Evere said having spoken to very reliable sources since the reports of the money racket, it had been very disturbing for the people of Gulf, the province which accommodated seven of the country’s major logging operations.

“We are calling on the Prime Minister to establish a commission of inquiry immediately. The Government and its leaders have been silent on this issue. We are also calling strongly on our leaders, Mr Maipakai and Mr Kavo, to come out very clear’’ on this matter, Mr Evere said.

“Kikori has the largest or let’s say the highest and biggest logging operations in the country, then comes Western Province and Vanimo. Our area or Gulf for that matter is filthy rich and yet, for so many years there has been no development.

“Development for Gulf now is zero and people are already fed up. We rightly believe that money parked in Singapore is ours and we want it back but through justice.

“I warn that if the Government doesn’t do anything or our leaders do not come clear on us, we will have no choice but to mobilise all landowners and shut down all logging operations in that area. This will also include stopping other resource development in the area.

“Our people have suffered enough from all the mistreatments from the Government.

“Gulf has contributed so much and is still contributing to the national coffers and yet the State has given back nothing or very little towards the development of the province.”