2 logging firms ordered to stop work

BY ALFRED PAGEPITU

TWO logging companies have been issued stop-work orders by the Central Islands Provincial government for non-payment of previous business licences and a current ones, as well as non-settlement of trespass claims by the Central Province into the Maleali Registered Land.

A statement from the Provincial Premier Stanley Manetiva yesterday said Tropical Resources Company Limited (TRDCL) applied for a milling license to conduct milling operations on Bolilau Customary land in breach of provincial business license ordinance 2020 as gazetted.

Manetiva said TRDCL was presented with documents purporting George Maru as owner of TRDCL as applicant.

He said the TRDCL purportedly contracted Trijam as operator and TRDCL and Trijam are under John Parsad as same owners ( and not George Maru).

He said that the TRDCL has owed the Central Province outstanding Business License for logging operations with Sunhill Sun as sub-contractor previously.

Manetiva said they are yet to settle trespass claims, illegal felling of logs and Environmental Damages claim on Maleali Government Registered Land.

“Regarding the Provincial Milling of Timber Application Form- the Provincial Premier and Executive declined the milling of timber license application form on the following grounds.

  1. Documents submitted were not true on the directorship of TRDCL
  2. 4000m3 per month is above the milling quota stated in the Forestry Act of Solomon Islands s.34 (1)(c)
  3. There is no agreement by the clans on blocks of land within Bolilau Customary land Submitted as required by form
  4. There is no beneficiary agreement signed by the 1000 people
  5. TRDCI, TRIJAM and Sun owed Provincial outstanding business license fees in the past.

Therefore, Manetiva said the current landing and operation of machines at Supare Landing Area does not have the Provincial approval for timber milling and felling of trees (round logs) and the operation is without a valid provincial business license.

“As such the provincial executive has blacklisted TRDCL, TRIJAM and SUNHILL SUN for future operation in Central province.

He said the Provincial Police Commander and ranks are asked to enforce the breach of the Provincial Business license provisions in that the province decline to grant the timber milling license to the applicant TRDCL and therefore TRIJAM is an unlawful contractor on the Provincial Jurisdiction.

Manetiva said the letter have been issued to the two companies to immediately stop operations and vacate the Central province jurisdiction with immediate effect.

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