Source: Post Courier

FOREST Minister Douglas Tomuriesa has assured parliament that the Government will phase out round log exports and encourage domestic processing.

"We will not renew any more FMA (Forest Management Authority), FCA (Forest Clearance Authority) or timber permit," Mr Tomuriesa said.

Source: Post Courier

A LOGGING company (named) has conducted illegal operations on the West Coast of the island province, claims Manus MP Ronny Knight.

Source: PNG Loop

An online campaign to collect signatures to petition against Canadian-based Nautilus Minerals for the undersea mining operation in Papua New Guinea (PNG) has today reached 7,980 , just 20 shy of the target which is 8,000.

Source and Picture: Radio New Zealand

Source: Wall Street journal written by Ryan Dube

LIMA, Peru—Mining and hydrocarbon companies are failing to take into account the full cost of community conflicts, which are a major risk for resource projects world-wide, according to a new study released Monday.

The study, which was published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences in the U.S., looked at 50 projects around the world that have faced community opposition.

Midwifery Day was celebrated in Goroka on the 5^th May 2014. The event took place to commemorate the hard work of mid wives across the country. Eastern Highlands Province came alive when mid wives across the Province gathered to celebrate their work and discuss issues that affect them and their work.  Groups present to celebrate the day include Goroka General Hospital Staff, Kainantu District, Ungai Bena District, Lufa District and Henganofi District. Below is a brief of the celebration.

GOROKA GENERAL HOSPITAL

By Dirong Gomon, Goroka, Eastern Highlands Province

Source: Radio New Zealand International

An organisation which promotes sustainable forestry, FORCERT, has sounded a note of caution about oil palm developments in Papua New Guinea.

This comes as the national government recently approved of the US$ 2 billion Sepik Plain Oil Palm Development Project, covering 10,000 hectares of land in East Sepik province.

FORCERT's Peter Dam says the legacy of oil palm development in PNG has not been good for local communities.

Source: Radio New Zealand

A Cook Islands opposition MP says the country has matured enough to explore deep sea mining prospects and deal responsibly with the profits, but there has still been a lack of consultation.

A meeting of 60 people on Rarotonga this week will hear from Cook Islands officials, but also regional and global interests.

Wilkie Rasmussen says it wasn't easy to gain access to the meeting, but is thankful the organisers recognised that interests from the outer island had a right to be heard.

Source: PNG Loop

Parliament sits at 10:00 am today starting off the second week of sessions for the three weeks assigned in the May Sitting, and one important thing  is the Land Grabbing Issue that hit the PNG and International news headlines in recent weeks.