Honiara: 18 September 2015
Letter to the Editor, Solomon Star Newspaper.
The newly appointed Solomon Islands Forestry Minister, Hon. Bartholomew Parapolo, has wasted no time since taking office in announcing his ministry will crack down on illegal logging in the country.
Quoting from today’s Radio New Zealand news bulletin, Minister Parapolo is said to even considering using helicopters to fight illegal logging operations.
The minister said he was concerned about allegations of illegal logging and the situation needed to be verified, but his ministry would work closely with the Solomon Islands Forest Association to track down illegal operators.
Working in close cooperation with SFA augers well for, in recent day, the SFA has indicated its own determination to bring an end the practice of illegal logging operations giving the forest industry a bad name and which prejudices national security at times.
