A BILL enacted after independence in 1978 was amended in Parliament yesterday.
It is called the North New Georgia Timber Corporation (Amendment) Bill 2010.
The Bill has been enacted on 3 September 1979 to allow logging on customary lands belonging to people in the northern and western parts of the island of North New Georgia in Western Province known as Gerasi, Dekurana, Lupa, Rodana and Koroga.
These landowning tribes came up with the idea because the current Forest Resources and Utilisation Act only allowed logging on alienated land or state-owned land.
The Act has a lifetime of 30 years, which lapsed last year on 3 September 2009.
Unlike logging in other parts of the country, it was a success story on this Christian Fellowship Church's dominated island.
This was after no land disputes had occurred in the last 32 years of logging.
All this came about because of the communion work upheld by the people on the island.
Forestry Minister and also member of parliament for the constituency, Job Duddley Tausinga who was the architecture of this Act, brought it again after his people sought another extension of 15 years.
He said the Corporation seeks to establish the position of a general manager to ensure it functions properly.
Additionally, Mr Tausinga said it is a requirement under this bill that proper accounts and records of the Corporation’s transactions are kept and that annual audits on the accounts are undertaken.
Mr Tausinga said under the Act Dekurana customary land is excluded.
However, he said this does not mean Dekurana cannot work with the landholding groups of land areas covered in the Act.
Besides, the seasoned politician said the Corporation had executed a contractual arrangement with Golden Springs International (SI) Limited - a logging company to continue harvest the timbers on land areas covered by the Act.
"The ' contract/agreement' by Corporation expires in 2014," he said.
"Section 17 of the Act clearly states that the provisions of the Forest Resources and Timber Utilisation Act are not applicable to this Act.
"Therefore it is impracticable and difficult as well, to transfer or legalise the logging operation that is current under the Corporation and Golden Springs arrangement to the Forest Resources and Timber Utilisation Act," he said.
Most members of the Government including Opposition have supported the bill.
They said it was a good concept that can be adopted by other constituencies in the country to deal with logging.
Deputy Prime Minister, Fred Fono said the Corporation is a success story because it invests its money into properties in Honiara to help its people.
However, Opposition leader Manasseh Sogavare and Independent Leader, Isaac Inoke warned that logging is good but its side effects can cause destruction to people and environment as well.
Mr Sogavare said it is best for the Ministry to bring the Forestry Act to parliament rather than a single bill.
But Mr Tausinga said it is a policy and operational matter.
However, he said the Forestry Act is currently in its draft stage.
By EDDIE OSIFELO
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