Forest audit crucial for PNG
Proper forest audit is crucial for PNG to ascertain the level of alleged abuse and corruption that exist within the
forest industry.
The PNG Eco-Forestry Forum says this while supporting Finchafen MP’s call this week for a forest audit in his
electorate.
The Forum has always maintained that PNG needs a nation-wide logging moratorium and a commission of inquiry into the
entire forest industry.
Member for Finchafen, Theo Zurenuoc this week raised concerns that a certain logging company is alleged to have been
operating in breach of certain statutory and legal requirements in his electorate.
He raised this in Parliament and asked for a submission to undertake audit into this particular logging operation.
The Forum said what Mr. Zurenuoc is doing is the beginning and all MPs should do the same for their respective
electorates.
“We congratulate Mr. Zurenuoc for boldly taking this step. Concerns over non-compliance of statutory requirements and
inconsistencies in the affairs of many logging operations in the country are becoming a common practice and we need an
independent audit exercise into the entire forestry operations in PNG,” says the Forum.
The Forum said it is not the First time this issue has surfaced as similar calls have been made in the past and also in
the recent times and the government has to do something about it. The onus is now on the government to take
responsibility and move forward toward addressing these concerns as it paints a very bad image on the forest industry
and the nation as a whole.
“If the government is serious about improving the image of the industry, then a comprehensive national forest audit is
imperative and also consider legislating initiatives like the FSC Certification in PNG. It should immediately institute
an independent audit exercise to look into the entire industry which should also cover issues of compliance, human
rights, and timber legality,” says the Forum.
ENDS