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PAPUA NEW GUINEA RAINFOREST CAMPAIGN NEWS

Eco-Forestry NGO's Welcome Reform in the Forestry Industry

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Forest Networking a Project of Forests.org

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07/12/00

OVERVIEW & COMMENTARY

The Papua New Guinea Eco-Forestry Forum supports integrated

conservation and rural community development through a viable and

sustainable eco-forestry industry. This coalition represents the

small and medium scale sawmilling industry in PNG, the type of

operations that should benefit from current reforms that seek to bring

about a more level and equitable playing field. Following is the PNG

Eco-Forestry Forum's viewpoint on the recent positive movement in the

Papua New Guinea forest sector.

g.b.

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Title: ECO-FORESTRY NGO's WELCOME REFORM IN THE FOREST INDUSTRY

Source: PNG Eco-Forestry Forum, Press Release

Status: Copyright 2000, contact source for permission to reprint

Date: July 12, 2000

PRESS RELEASE

The Papua New Guinea Eco-Forestry Forum has congratulated the

Government for its bold moves towards reforming the forest industry.

The Forum consists of a coalition of Non Government Organisations

supporting the development of the small to medium scale sawmilling

industry in PNG. The Forum has reaffirmed its support and acknowledged

the Government's positive moves, describing them as ones that will

prove that the government is able to deliver on their promises and

introduce reform in the forestry sector.

"For many years foreign owned companies have been destroying the

forests and exporting PNG's wealth for their own gain with little

regard for the law, landowners wishes or the environment and with very

little financial return to the local people. Now at last we seem to

have a Government who is able to stand up to weed out corruption and

do what is right for the people of PNG", the Forum reiterated.

The government has recently announced a package of measures to address

issues of corruption, poor supervision and bad practice in the

management of forest resources. Key decisions made include:

* The formation of a committee to review all currently proposed

forestry projects to ensure that they comply with the law and

landowners wishes

* New legislation to prevent misuse and corruption in projects where

forest areas are converted for other land uses or geographical

extensions made to existing timber permits

* Legislation to guarantee full public disclosure of forestry plans

and National Forest Board decisions

* Changes to the membership of the National Forestry Board to try and

ensure better decision-making and good governance.

These Government decisions come as part of the implementation of

promises made in last years Budget and the strengthening of the

previously announced Forestry Moratorium.

The PNG Eco-Forestry Forum on behalf of its members has welcomed the

Government's moves as further evidence of their commitment to clean up

the forest industry and root out bad practices.

The Eco-Forestry Forum includes national and international environment

conservation and community development NGOs and representatives of

industry, education and science whose primary aim is to promote and

support the development of a viable and sustainable eco-forestry

industry in PNG.

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