Forest stakeholders reassured

Large and medium industries including small-holders’ stakeholders within the forestry sector have been given reassurance despite of the challenges faced during this community transmission experienced in the country.

Assurance was uttered during an online meeting of the Forest Sector Technical Working Group (FSTWG) comprising of various stakeholder partners, Monday this week.

Forestry Permanent Secretary, Dr Vaeno Vigulu says he has noted the slowdown of several organisations’ operations and activities because of COVID19 negative impacts.

Some for instance the Kolombangara Forest Plantation Limited (KFPL) had COVID19 hit hard on their operations especially on shipping. “Today, we continue to follow the protocols that had been established to combat the pandemic and the Forestry Sector will continue to join the rest of the other sectors and the public fight this COVID 19.

“This calls for a progressive wise management and control of operations and trade in the Forestry Sector, a sector that contributes hugely to the national economy, but has potential to introduce or a conduit of the pandemic virus into other parts of our country and can destroy the fragile national economy rapidly.

“For this sake, this platform should be a way forward that can help assist any member stakeholders because we have a mix of members who can access certain Solomon Islands Government assistance. Moreso, on information sharing and updates of the various respective activities.

“And I believe all stakeholders found this flat form useful, rewarding and feel at home
to share and take back meaningful resolutions and make new connections for better
forestry sector development, networking and outcomes,” he adds.

He also further thanks all the donor partners and collaborators especially JICA,
ACIAR, PHAMA+, New Zealand Government, Live & Learn, GIZ/SPC, SPREP, the
Pacific Community and UNDP/FAO for the continous partnership in the many
meaningful ways.

“You have progressively contributed and collaborated with the Ministry of Forestry
and Research and other Line Ministries in assisting and enabling us to implement
programmes that touch hearts of rural area dwellers and resource owners on activities
that promote Sustainable Forest Resource Management model in small and big ways
so far in 2021, for which we are so grateful of and thank you very much. We are also
hoping to be having you as our partner in 2022.

“Your support in many ways had assisted the Ministry in many areas that have
developed capacities, provisions of logistics and technical knowhow that enabled the
Ministry to simultaneously implement the two (2) reprioritisation policy area
objectives of the government to assist resource owners in downstream processing and
continue to assist in ways to manage, sustain and rehabilitate the forest resources of
this country and to come this far with tangible achievements.”

– MoFR Press