What a load of verbal diarrhea (or some similar sentiment to that) is what comes to mind when reading what Managing Director of the PNG National Forest Authority (Kanawi Pouru) is quoted as having said in the following report in the Post Courier.

If it in fact was true that all 'log exports are monitored' then why is it that there is has been a significant amount of illegal exporting of timber happening - especially under the guise of SABLs? All you need to do is get out of your comfy, airconditioned office in Port Moresby and actually visit some of those alleged illegally logged and exported areas to see the truth!

Or simply go to the Investment Promotion Authority and do a company search, use a tiny bit of deduction skills to figure out that out of the currently operating logging companies there are a number of them that have not submitted all required paper work and are thus operating illegally. Let's not to mention that many of those registered logging companies seem to subsidiaries of one monster of parasitic alien company - I'll give you a clue the company is Malaysian owned.

Sounds like another case of self delusion, let's just hope that it's not something more sinister...

©Klaireh

PNGFA Notes Changes in Timber Trade Law

Source: Post Courier

PAPUA New Guinea recognises the changing trends in timber trade around the world and accepts the move by the European Union to legislate and regulate timber trade, Managing Director of PNG National Forest Authority Kanawi Pouru said yesterday. 


“It is the sovereign right of every nation to legislate and regulate their affairs provided they are complimentary and consistent and not contrary to the general laws of trade. Laws must recognise the rights of sovereign nations. We have no objections to it,” Mr Pouru said in a statement.


Mr Pouru said this after the European Union moved to legislate and regulate its timber trade following United States and Australia who also passed similar legislations to assist their timber importing industry for fair and transparent marketing.


“We have no problem with that, however, as a producing nation, we will be expected to improve on our practices of forest harvests and exports.”

Mr Pouru when responding to the Post-Courier report on Thursday March 7, 2013, which was based on a statement from the EU, said that PNG’s exports to the EU markets were currently quite insignificant.
He said PNG was not the only country that exports logs but other countries like Canada, Russia as well as Africa do that, too.
He said about 80-90 percent of PNG’s round logs were exported to China and the rest to Japan, India, Vietnam, Korea and Malaysia.


Mr Pouru said Australia was the biggest importer of PNG’s processed timber products and Minister for Forest and Climate Change, Patrick Pruaitch had written to his counterpart in Australia saying that its passing of their Prohibition Act was their sovereign right as a nation.


“PNG on the other hand will work closely with Australia to understand their requirements so that our producers can meet them and continue to export to Australia,” Pouru said.


With regards to timber certification and verification, Mr Pouru said PNG and its forest industry were fully aware of this with some already commencing on it, He mentioned companies like Open Bay Timbers, Stettin Bay Lumber Company, Sabah Enterprises while Vanimo Forest Products, Cloudy Bay Sustainable and PNG Forest Products are currently working towards certification.


Mr Pouru said the PNGFA, with the support of the International Tropical Timber Organisation was currently designing and developing a certification process.
The process is expected to be completed by the middle of this year that will enhance and provide further management and marketing processes to assist industries to trade legally.


“This will enable them to provide the necessary documentations to substantiate the legality of their operations and export products.”

He challenged Post-Courier and EU to identify and inform PNGFA on which organisations in PNG were operating illegally as stated in the article.


“Log exports are monitored. Customs and PNGFA ensures all documentations and consignments are completed within the law,” Pouru said.