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WORLDWIDE FOREST/BIODIVERSITY CAMPAIGN NEWS

Solomon Islands Response to Australian Forest Aid Cut-Off

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Forest Networking a Project of Ecological Enterprises

2/10/96

OVERVIEW & SOURCE:

Here is a follow-up transcription of an earlier Australian

Broadcasing Corporation radio broadcast concerning the ongoing

forest crisis in the Solomon Islands (native forests could

effectively be cleared in five years). In this piece, the advisor

to the Solomon Islands Prime Minister comes out in favour of

Australia's actions re: their cut off of forest aid. This was

sent by a list recipient, Thanks!

g.b.

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RELAYED TEXT STARTS HERE:

Transcript

Indian Pacific

Radio National

Australian Broadcasting Corporation

Saturday, February 3, 1996

Words: 680

Announcer: Now to the Solomon Islands where an adviser to the

Prime Minister has publicly supported Australia's decision to cut

more than $2m from its bilateral aid to the Pacific nation. Sam

Alesia says his government is to blame for the aid cut. He has

suggested a meeting between the two countries to improve strained

relations. Australia announced its decision to reduce funding late

last year, citing unsustainable logging practices in the Solomons.

The main effect of the cut will be the abolition of the Australian

run Timber Control Unit which has policed the Solomon Islands

logging industry for five years. Sam Alesia told Di Martin that

suggested changes to the Forestry Act that are needed if

Australia's position is to alter are now being considered by his

Government.

Alesia: I think that has been taken into account and also

besides that the Ministry of Forestry is currently putting in

place the terms and conditions that logging companies must follow.

Martin: Yet you haven't got many years left, have you? If the

Solomon Islands continues at its present rate of logging there is

not going to be any forests left in five years time.

Alesia: That is fairly true. It's a little bit difficult for

some of us who are opposed to logging to say to the Government,

now this is what we must do.

Martin: Yet you are an adviser to the Prime Minister, Solomon

Mamaloni. Don't you have the ear of the Prime Minister? How do you

advise him on this?

Alesia: It's true but sometimes when we give advice it's up to

those who are responsible to decide for themselves.

Martin: Late last year the Australian Government cut aid to the

Solomon Islands by more than $2 million. How has Solomon Mamaloni

responded personally to that decision?

Alesia: Maybe I would not be in a position to answer that.

Martin: One of the main effects will of course be the abolition

of the Timber Control Unit. Now, the Prime Minister has made no

secret of the fact that he did not like this Control Unit, accused

it of racism, accused it of falsifying figures, but doesn't its

abolition, of some kind of policing of the logging industry, isn't

it shooting the messenger?

Alesia: In some ways it does. I think that is why we are trying

to put those sorts of conditions and regulations in place with a

view of making relevant changes to the Forestry Act.

Martin: How did you respond to the news that the Timber Control

Unit would be disbanded?

Alesia: Well, personally I was not happy and I don't blame the

Australian Government for that.

Martin: Why don't you blame the Australian Government?

Alesia: Well, because the heart of the problem is with the

Solomon Islands Government. In terms of the Timber Control Unit,

they did some very good work on the islands and there is certainly

in the Government people who see their work as important. And that

is why I am saying it's a problem, not from the Australian side of

things but ... Maybe there is a possibility that somehow somewhere

along the line we maybe able to get the Unit in, back to the

Solomon Islands. That is a possibility.

Martin: How would you see that happening?

Alesia: At this moment I'm not really sure whether if Australia

withdraws that aid then that's the end of everything. I think we

still have openings to re-establish that understanding.

Martin: How do you suggest that happening, how to mend the

fence?

Alesia: One possibility on our part is that if we are serious

enough we have to make amendments to the Act. That would possibly

might convince the Australian Government.

Martin: Do you feel that there is support for this idea of

getting the Unit re-established within the Government?

Alesia: Well, that is my own view. I think some of us in

Government hold the same view.

Martin: Do you think that Solomon Mamaloni, the Prime Minister,

holds this view?

Alesia: I would not want to comment on that.

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