Forest Minister Douglas Tomuriesa

They are Minister for Planning, Charles Abel (Alotau Open), Minister for Civil Aviation, Steven Davis (Esa’ala) and Minister for Forest, Douglas Tomuriesa (Kiriwina-Goodenough), who took part in the debate on the Appropriation Bill.

Governor Titus Philemon said 2017 had been a difficult and challenging year for Milne Bay but he was happy to see leaders working together to drive the province forward.

The Minister was responding to questions from Samarai-Murua MP Gordon Wesley yesterday in Parliament.

Wesley asked, “the minister inform Parliament on his department reforestation programs and how far the sector as gone in replanting of trees.

“Any policy put in place for planting viable trees so government can shift its focus for harvesting of forest trees to more sustainable and viable commercial trees that can be grown and harvested for downstream commercial processing and export, similar to pine trees grown and harvest by Bulolo Forest Product in Bulolo.”

“On expiry date of a TRP (Timber Right Purchase) project, a review must be done and the concession returns to the landowners, which we have captured in the revised Act,” Tomuriesa said.

He was responding to questions by Middle Fly MP Roy Biyama in Parliament yesterday on why logging permits, held by foreign companies, are still owned by them after it expires.    

Forest Minister Douglas Tomuriesa confirmed in Parliament today that 94 percent of operational logging licences have been taken away from foreigners and given back to the landowners.

He said this when responding to Governor for Western Province Ati Wobiro on ownership of logging licences.

Wobiro asked if the Ministry is looking at changing licence ownership within this important sector so that development licences are given to the landowners rather than developers.