PNG forests
THE NATIONAL, Wednesday 22 June 2005
Stop criticising forest changes: PM
PRIME Minister Sir Michael Somare has urged people to stop criticising the proposed changes to the Forestry Act. He told reporters in Parliament that those who oppose the changes, particular amendments to section 57 and 59 of the Act, must challenge the law in court when parliament passes it. Sir Michael said at the moment it was only a proposed bill and not yet a law. He said this after NGOs and opposition leaders questioned the proposed amendment to the Forestry Act being promoted by Forest Minister Patrick Pruaitch. "They are proposals. And proposals are proposals. People have the constitutional right to challenge it once it becomes an act. Then they can go get their lawyers and whoever they believe knows about the law and go and challenge the legislation in a court of law," said Michael said. He said changes to section 57and 59 makes more people become involved in the process, including NGOs. "I want people to read the proposed law before they start asking questions." He said legislators are legislators. They (parliamentarians) are the ones who make laws and lawyers were the ones who interpreted these laws. He said NGOs were raising questions about why should other people be involved but he said these NGOs were ignorant.
POST COURIER, Wednesday 22 June 2005
Forest authority must stop logging - expert
THE National Forest Authority must put a stop to all logging in Papua New Guinea and re-assess the trend that logging has created in this country. Wuas Ubun, a forestry consultant with more than 10 years experience in forest related issues, said this when highlighting the negative effects continuous logging would have on forestry development in PNG. Mr Ubun said the NFA must make the best business deal for the country — to earn more than what it was earning and bring foreign exchange into the country. “Our current trend is that these logging companies are taking what they are earning out of the country. When PNG logs arrive in foreign countries, the logs are placed in a pool and are auctioned at a price that is five times more than what they are paying for in our country,” he said. Mr Ubun said proper planning and assistance must be given to the right people who want to see changes at the village level. He said people also want to see the government come in with their social, economical and agricultural contribution in the development of that particular area through kina for kina. Mr Ubun added that when the government does this, people would feel responsible to look after their resources. Mr Ubun also supported the call by Ecoforestry Forum and non-government organisations to political leaders not to pass the latest changes to the forestry Act. He urged all foresters not to sit back with their mouths shut but to come out and speak their mind. “It is our duty to see that first our people benefit through proper management of our forest resources and not allowing acts after acts and amendments done to the recent acts to deprive our people and ourselves,” Mr Ubun said. He added that the amendments to the Act would only further empower foreigners to take advantage over our country by these changes.
POST COURIER, Wednesday 22 June 2005
Compo bid on carbon trade
PAPUA New Guinea will push to ensure that rainforest countries are compensated under phase two of the Kyoto Protocol. PNG will push for this in all the forums where it is a member, including the Pacific Island Forum, Asia Pacific Economic Co-operation and the United Nations. National Planning and Rural Development Minister Arthur Somare said yesterday the concept for PNG to earn revenue through carbon trading was a totally new concept for a developing country and that professionals who understood carbon trading well, including Papua New Guineans, had been engaged to come up with a draft report. He said the draft report was ready for comments before he presented it to the National Executive Council. Mr Somare said under the Equator Principal, major banks — including the World Bank, European Investment Bank and the Asian Development — had made provisions for environmental consideration by an applicant and PNG could be privileged to use the carbon trade mechanism in its bid to obtain loans at lower interest rates. Prime Minister Sir Michael Somare ordered an investigation into dealings of Markham MP Andrew Baing when he was Fisheries Minister after Mr Baing accused Sir Michael of entering into business dealings with one Kevin Conrad. The Prime Minister said he would table a report into the alleged payment of K18 million to a company for fisheries projects when he denied that he (Sir Michael) did not enter into any payment of K32 million for the carbon trading project. “Under the Leadership Code, it is absolutely irresponsible for a Member of Parliament representing his or her people to blatantly lie to the whole country without facts to back his/her claims and with the sole motive to mislead and smear the good name and reputation of others,” Sir Michael said. The Kyoto Protocol is part of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. The protocol specifically seeks to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by consolidating the forces of the global market place and sovereign regulation to protect the environment. PNG is a party to this UN Convention and the Kyoto Protocol. The Kyoto Protocol came into force in February 2005. Under the Kyoto Protocol, developed countries have agreed to lower greenhouse gas emissions by 5 per cent below 1990 levels.
Stop criticising forest changes: PM
PRIME Minister Sir Michael Somare has urged people to stop criticising the proposed changes to the Forestry Act. He told reporters in Parliament that those who oppose the changes, particular amendments to section 57 and 59 of the Act, must challenge the law in court when parliament passes it. Sir Michael said at the moment it was only a proposed bill and not yet a law. He said this after NGOs and opposition leaders questioned the proposed amendment to the Forestry Act being promoted by Forest Minister Patrick Pruaitch. "They are proposals. And proposals are proposals. People have the constitutional right to challenge it once it becomes an act. Then they can go get their lawyers and whoever they believe knows about the law and go and challenge the legislation in a court of law," said Michael said. He said changes to section 57and 59 makes more people become involved in the process, including NGOs. "I want people to read the proposed law before they start asking questions." He said legislators are legislators. They (parliamentarians) are the ones who make laws and lawyers were the ones who interpreted these laws. He said NGOs were raising questions about why should other people be involved but he said these NGOs were ignorant.
POST COURIER, Wednesday 22 June 2005
Forest authority must stop logging - expert
THE National Forest Authority must put a stop to all logging in Papua New Guinea and re-assess the trend that logging has created in this country. Wuas Ubun, a forestry consultant with more than 10 years experience in forest related issues, said this when highlighting the negative effects continuous logging would have on forestry development in PNG. Mr Ubun said the NFA must make the best business deal for the country — to earn more than what it was earning and bring foreign exchange into the country. “Our current trend is that these logging companies are taking what they are earning out of the country. When PNG logs arrive in foreign countries, the logs are placed in a pool and are auctioned at a price that is five times more than what they are paying for in our country,” he said. Mr Ubun said proper planning and assistance must be given to the right people who want to see changes at the village level. He said people also want to see the government come in with their social, economical and agricultural contribution in the development of that particular area through kina for kina. Mr Ubun added that when the government does this, people would feel responsible to look after their resources. Mr Ubun also supported the call by Ecoforestry Forum and non-government organisations to political leaders not to pass the latest changes to the forestry Act. He urged all foresters not to sit back with their mouths shut but to come out and speak their mind. “It is our duty to see that first our people benefit through proper management of our forest resources and not allowing acts after acts and amendments done to the recent acts to deprive our people and ourselves,” Mr Ubun said. He added that the amendments to the Act would only further empower foreigners to take advantage over our country by these changes.
POST COURIER, Wednesday 22 June 2005
Compo bid on carbon trade
PAPUA New Guinea will push to ensure that rainforest countries are compensated under phase two of the Kyoto Protocol. PNG will push for this in all the forums where it is a member, including the Pacific Island Forum, Asia Pacific Economic Co-operation and the United Nations. National Planning and Rural Development Minister Arthur Somare said yesterday the concept for PNG to earn revenue through carbon trading was a totally new concept for a developing country and that professionals who understood carbon trading well, including Papua New Guineans, had been engaged to come up with a draft report. He said the draft report was ready for comments before he presented it to the National Executive Council. Mr Somare said under the Equator Principal, major banks — including the World Bank, European Investment Bank and the Asian Development — had made provisions for environmental consideration by an applicant and PNG could be privileged to use the carbon trade mechanism in its bid to obtain loans at lower interest rates. Prime Minister Sir Michael Somare ordered an investigation into dealings of Markham MP Andrew Baing when he was Fisheries Minister after Mr Baing accused Sir Michael of entering into business dealings with one Kevin Conrad. The Prime Minister said he would table a report into the alleged payment of K18 million to a company for fisheries projects when he denied that he (Sir Michael) did not enter into any payment of K32 million for the carbon trading project. “Under the Leadership Code, it is absolutely irresponsible for a Member of Parliament representing his or her people to blatantly lie to the whole country without facts to back his/her claims and with the sole motive to mislead and smear the good name and reputation of others,” Sir Michael said. The Kyoto Protocol is part of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. The protocol specifically seeks to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by consolidating the forces of the global market place and sovereign regulation to protect the environment. PNG is a party to this UN Convention and the Kyoto Protocol. The Kyoto Protocol came into force in February 2005. Under the Kyoto Protocol, developed countries have agreed to lower greenhouse gas emissions by 5 per cent below 1990 levels.
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