Loggers still owe Malaita, have four days to pay up or leave
By WILSON SAENI
In Auki
The Malaita Provincial Government expects the commissioner of Forestry and Research not to issue an export permit to all-round logs harvest from Malaita Province as loggers still owe Malaita a sum of $1,460,000.00 ($1.5m).
According to a letter the Provincial Secretary Fredrick Fa’abasua issued to logging companies operating in Malaita, seven foreign sub-contractors and 10 licensees still owe the province $1.5m for financial year 2019/2020.
PS Fa’abasua also stated in the letter that since the commencement of the 2020 Financial Year in April this year; the sub-contractors and licensees have failed to come forward to pay their fees to the province as required under the Malaita Province Business Licenses Ordinance Amendment 2014.
A meeting organised by the province to meet with all Felling License Holders in Auki this month was only attended by Fila Enterprises and Dominion Enterprises.
The poor turnout triggered the province to halt all logging operations in Malaita.
The PS stated in the letter that the logging companies have failed to act responsibly to the request of the host province.
At the end of April, a team from the Malaita provincial government is expected to visit all logging camps in Malaita Province to check if they pay up or not.
The province will carry out further action on the loggers after April 30.
Since getting tough on loggers in Malaita for not paying up their dues, three logging companies have already left the shores of Malaita for not complying.
Remaining logging companies in Malaita have four more days to pay up their dues from the last financial year and to renew their licenses for the new financial year or else leave the province as the 14 days notice issued by the province is closing in on them.