ACTNOW's blog

IRC adds more financial crimes to logging companies’ charge sheet

Papua New Guinea’s Internal Revenue Commission says the logging industry is “one of the most delinquent sectors insofar as tax compliance is concerned“.

The logging companies are guilty of “egregious” transfer pricing, “entrenched” tax evasion and “deceptive behaviour” says the IRC (see the full IRC statements below).

Global Brands Back Moratorium on Seabed Mining

Source: Pacifik Environews

Four leading global companies have announced their support for a global moratorium on deep seabed mining. Initiated by BMW Group and WWF, and signed by Samsung SDI, Google and Volvo Group, the companies join the increasing chorus of concern about the significant risks to economies and to ocean health that would arise from opening up the seabed to extraction of minerals.

Success: Sand mining proposal defeated

A controversial plan by the Singapore based Powerplus Group, to mine sand along a 38 kilometre stretch of coastline in Madang has been defeated.

The government regulator, the Mineral Resource Authority, has written to mining opponents informing them that the mine exploration application has been withdrawn.

This comes after the sand mining application was met with strong opposition from local communities and environmentalists and concern from local tourism operators.