KIBCA’s Chairman, Mr. Vaghi had claimed in media weeks ago that Success Logging Company owned by Fisheries Minister, Bodo Dettke, had bypassed administration process to log an area that the company was supposed not to enter.
But legal administrators of the lands in question, Mr Kova Isaac and Mr James Rizu have pointed out that Mr. Vaghi and his association has no legal right to the ownership of the land in question and does not have the right to represent Lolobo land and tribal issues.
“As someone who is only related to Kolombangara Island through his father, Mr. Vaghi should seek our consent before going out in media and talked about issues pertaining to Lolobo land and tribal issues,” they added.
Mr. Isaac and Mr. Rizu have questioned the genuineness of Mr. Vaghi on the conservation issue because at one stage Mr. Vaghi was an executive member of Viuru Forest Enterprise that also logged Viuru land on Kolombangara Island without any development consent from the responsible ministry.
Mr. Isaac and Mr. Rizu revealed that the issue at hand which Mr. Vaghi had been so vocal about was only an administrative matter that doesn’t warrant such media outburst that Mr. Vaghi had employed.
They said the only hurdle that prevents Success Company from continuing their operation is the Environment Development consent which the Ministry is still in the process of granting it to the company.
Success Logging Company’s operation manager, John Parsad, has confirmed that the company has temporarily suspended its operation on Lot 1 awaiting the development consent from the Ministry of Environment.
Mr. Parsad stated that the Company has conducted its operation within the bounds of the law and regulations of the Forestry Act.
Mr. Parsad stressed that the Company was invited and was given consent by the administrator and landowners to log above 400 meters and at no time had the company force its way through without landowner’s consent.
He said the Commissioner of Forestry had already granted the special permit on September this year to continue operation above the 400 meters contour.
“So now we are basically waiting for the development consent to be processed and operation will continue,” said Mr. Parsad.
Mr. Parsad said the way in which the whole issue was portrayed in media clearly indicates that the Conservation Association that Mr. Vaghi headed was heavily influenced by outsiders.
“I have strong evidence to prove that some logging companies and parliamentarians who have issues against former Forestry Minister, Mr. Dettke, are now joining forces to tarnish the image of our company and the Fisheries Minister himself,” Mr. Parsad highlighted.
“I have strong evidence to prove that some logging companies and parliamentarians who have masterminded Mr. Dettke’s recent sacking are behind this whole issue and now joining forces to tarnish the image of our company and the Fisheries Minister himself,” Mr. Parsad highlighted.
Meanwhile, Mr. Parsad and landowners representatives have totally refuted claims made in Wednesday’s Solomon Star newspaper (issue # 4425) which alleges that eight villages in Kolombangara Island are affected with water problem following logging operation there.
Mr. Parsad said as according to the company’s development programme, some villages are already being supplied with water tanks.
He highlighted that as the only locally owned logging company- we are conscious about the concerns of landowners where-ever we operated from.
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