PGR News from the Pacific

Posted 4:54 PM by Luigi

PNG logging firm slams green groups

From the Sydney Morning Herald, July 30, 2006 - 12:49PM

A Malaysian logging company accused of illegally stripping PNG's rainforests has in turn accused green groups of mounting an international slander campaign against it.

Rimbunan Hijau (RH), the largest logging company operating in PNG, has long been accused of colluding with PNG political leaders to illegally harvest rainforest timber to the detriment of local landowners.

Stung by the ongoing accusations, RH commissioned Australian consulting firm ITS Global to investigate.

RH managing director James Lau said at the launch in Port Moresby of ITS Global's latest report that claims by Greenpeace and other green groups that logging companies in PNG were operating illegally were shown to be false.

The reports showed the forestry industry in PNG played a key role in providing jobs, government revenue and infrastructure such as roads, schools and health posts in PNG.

"It is high time these green NGO's were held to account for the costs their stunts and unsubstantiated rhetoric have imposed on PNG."

In March the US-based forestry watchdog Forest Trends said most forestry operations in PNG were illegal and ecologically and economically unsustainable.

It said corrupt connections between logging companies and PNG's political elite must be broken and forestry laws adhered to.

Greenpeace, PNG's Ecoforestry Forum and other green groups have accused Asian logging companies of "modern day slavery" in their exploitation of PNG workers in logging camps.
Other allegations include under-reporting of export log values and the failure of logging companies to provide roads, schools and health posts to landowner communities as promised.

But PNG's Forestry Minister Patrick Pruaitch said a false case had been made against commercial forestry which operated "in full compliance with PNG laws and regulations".

Green groups' claims that the environmental heritage of PNG's forests was endangered was ridiculous as only 33 per cent of the country's rainforests had been set aside for commercial use, he said.

"Are there people who want to say countries like Papua New Guinea should be denied their right to develop their resources like industrialised countries did to raise their standards of living?"

ITS Global consultant Bill Bowen said his firm's analysis showed "without a doubt the industry in PNG is not operating illegally".

He was scathing of an earlier report on PNG forestry mandated by the World Bank, saying that study's argument that forestry in PNG was not financially viable was erroneous and "should be pulped".

The greens' claim that commercial logging in PNG was unsustainable was wrong when PNG was not even utilising the full sustainable cut available, Bowen said.

Green groups did not have a right to push an anti-development agenda and they must be made accountable for their accusations, he said.

© 2006 AAP



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DIVA-GIS	Sunday, July 30, 2006 Posted 4:54 PM by Luigi PNG logging firm slams green groups From the Sydney Morning Herald, July 30, 2006 - 12:49PM A Malaysian logging company accused of illegally stripping PNG's rainforests has in turn accused green groups of mounting an international slander campaign against it. Rimbunan Hijau (RH), the largest logging company operating in PNG, has long been accused of colluding with PNG political leaders to illegally harvest rainforest timber to the detriment of local landowners. Stung by the ongoing accusations, RH commissioned Australian consulting firm ITS Global to investigate. RH managing director James Lau said at the launch in Port Moresby of ITS Global's latest report that claims by Greenpeace and other green groups that logging companies in PNG were operating illegally were shown to be false. The reports showed the forestry industry in PNG played a key role in providing jobs, government revenue and infrastructure such as roads, schools and health posts in PNG. "It is high time these green NGO's were held to account for the costs their stunts and unsubstantiated rhetoric have imposed on PNG." In March the US-based forestry watchdog Forest Trends said most forestry operations in PNG were illegal and ecologically and economically unsustainable. It said corrupt connections between logging companies and PNG's political elite must be broken and forestry laws adhered to. Greenpeace, PNG's Ecoforestry Forum and other green groups have accused Asian logging companies of "modern day slavery" in their exploitation of PNG workers in logging camps. Other allegations include under-reporting of export log values and the failure of logging companies to provide roads, schools and health posts to landowner communities as promised. But PNG's Forestry Minister Patrick Pruaitch said a false case had been made against commercial forestry which operated "in full compliance with PNG laws and regulations". Green groups' claims that the environmental heritage of PNG's forests was endangered was ridiculous as only 33 per cent of the country's rainforests had been set aside for commercial use, he said. "Are there people who want to say countries like Papua New Guinea should be denied their right to develop their resources like industrialised countries did to raise their standards of living?" ITS Global consultant Bill Bowen said his firm's analysis showed "without a doubt the industry in PNG is not operating illegally". He was scathing of an earlier report on PNG forestry mandated by the World Bank, saying that study's argument that forestry in PNG was not financially viable was erroneous and "should be pulped". The greens' claim that commercial logging in PNG was unsustainable was wrong when PNG was not even utilising the full sustainable cut available, Bowen said. Green groups did not have a right to push an anti-development agenda and they must be made accountable for their accusations, he said. © 2006 AAP * Comments: Post a Comment	Archive October 2002 November 2002 December 2002 January 2003 February 2003 March 2003 April 2003 May 2003 June 2003 July 2003 August 2003 September 2003 October 2003 November 2003 December 2003 January 2004 February 2004 March 2004 April 2004 May 2004 June 2004 July 2004 August 2004 September 2004 October 2004 November 2004 December 2004 January 2005 February 2005 March 2005 April 2005 May 2005 June 2005 July 2005 August 2005 September 2005 October 2005 November 2005 December 2005 January 2006 February 2006 March 2006 April 2006 May 2006 June 2006 July 2006 August 2006 September 2006 October 2006 November 2006 December 2006 January 2007 February 2007 March 2007 April 2007 May 2007 June 2007 July 2007 August 2007 September 2007 October 2007 November 2007 December 2007 January 2008 February 2008 March 2008 April 2008 May 2008 June 2008 July 2008 August 2008 September 2008 October 2008 November 2008 December 2008 January 2009 February 2009 March 2009 April 2009 May 2009 June 2009 July 2009 August 2009 September 2009 October 2009 November 2009 January 2010 RSS Feed Alternative feed Contact Tevita Something new: Agrobiodiversity Weblog: For discussions of conservation and sustainable use of the genetic resources of crops, livestock and their wild relatives. 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