The Makira Ulawa Provincial (MUP) Government has agreed on two resolutions to suspend two logging companies from their logging operations in Makira with immediate effect.
The Makira Ulawa Provincial Secretary, James Taeburi has written to the two logging companies, Chia Tai (SI) Ltd and Poly Logging (SI) Ltd about the Makira Ulawa Provincial Executive’s decisions.
He said the Provincial Executive meeting on May 19, 2021 agreed Chia Tai to immediately suspend its operations at Boro’oni Camp, Ward 8 of Arosi 1 in West Makira after it deliberated on matters that are related to its logging operations there.
Mr Taeburi said the Executive Government had also determined the suspension to stay in force until such time all court cases regarding the Baurosi Timber Right process are resolved.
But he said the Provincial Government will be closely monitoring Chia Tai’s operations to ensure it complies to the Resolution, because if it fails to do so, the Executive will enforce further and tougher actions.
With Poly Logging operations, Mr Taeburi said the Provincial Executive discussed May 19, 2021 matters relating to “your current and past operations in different Wards around Makira Ulawa Province.
“And it concluded your performances have been overwhelmed with undue practices and continued negligence of statutory requirements which have proved detrimental not only to the environment, but also to the people and the Provincial Government.
“Because of those reasons, the Provincial Executive Government is not in the position to look at other alternatives but to immediately ‘order’ suspension of your operations as of July 2, 2021”.
Mr Taeburi explained the order includes and affects any arrangement with Sunway Limited to carry out logging operations in Poly Logging Concession Areas in Ward 13 and any contract by Arosi Vision Link to carry out log harvesting at Bia in Ward 5, South Arosi, West Makira.
He said Poly Logging (SI) Ltd is directed to settle all liabilities due to the government as it said it would in a letter of April 28, 2021.
And Mr Taeburi said the Makira Ulawa Provincial Government will not hesitate to cancel Poly Logging’s Business Licence if it fails to settle its liabilities.
By George Atkin
Kira Kira Correspondent
