By RODRICK DESURI
Auki
Malaita Province’s rural timber milling operators are calling on the Ministry of Forestry to seek seek alternatives that can help them, especially with marketing.
Due to lack of support for these hardworking timber millers, they have shifted their mindset to taking a shortcut route by selling timber to locals and Chinese buyers in Auki and Honiara at a very low price.
A concerned timber milling operator, Alex Wemani, stressed that selling their milled timber to the locals is easy and provides quick payment, but it is cheap and does not reward their efforts, struggles, and the labour of those who helped them during their operations.
He stated that the small income they receive from their sales does not fulfill their long-term goals but only satisfies their labour and essential basic needs.
“Every day we work in the bush, we have labourers to help us during our milling operations, and what we gain at the end doesn’t meet our plans and expectations.
“See, we have labour costs, expenses on fuel, food, and transportation hiring. We need markets where we can sell our timber and get a good income, he said.
He said they find it very difficult to reach local buyers, and it can take them a month before their timber is sold.
Wemani appeals to the government, through the Ministry of Forestry, to seek alternatives for them to sell their milled timber overseas.
He mentioned that supporting local timber milling operators will not only help them earn a good income and contribute to the economy of the country, but it will also improve the lives of people in rural areas without causing any destruction to the environment, unlike logging.
“We will not only earn income, but it will also improve our lives and contribute to the country’s economy.
“Also, focusing on timber milling, it will not cause destructive issues to our natural resources, like logging companies do,” he said.
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