Protected Prea (PA) management needs the capacity to be fully operational.
PNG Constitutional and Law Reform Commission Secretary, Dr Eric Kwa has revealed that provincial governments (PGs) do not have the capacity to fund and provide the human resource and facilities for PAs.
Dr Kwa said PGs are currently more concerned with money raising activities and environment issues are not a priority at the PG level.
“There are no offices for environment at the different provincial levels because there’s no funding and properly trained people and facilities,” Kwa said.
He said therefore environment authorities must look at improving provincial engagements to ensure that they effectively and successfully implement the proposed Protected Area Bill.
Kwa added that the Conservation Environment Protection Authority (CEPA) needs to ensure that PGs understand that PAs are also a money making activity in order to receive sustainable financing at a PG level.
Picture by Kennedy Bani