PORT MORESBY (Papua New Guinea Post-Courier/PINA) — Delegates to a forestry investment seminar here have been called on to assist in furthering trade links between Pacific islands countries.
National Forestry Board Chairman Wari Iamo said that it is through stronger trading links that the island countries will in fact trade simply and streamline the legislative requirements.
Iamo added: “And at the same time we must as a National Forest Board develop and implement policies which will create much more forest capital within PNG in order for us to become a much greater trader in the future.”
He said the National Forestry Board was at an important crossroads in the development of trade policies in forest products with its contacts in other island nations.
“So many things are similar. Why are we not marketing together under one banner?” he said.
“However, given the similar nature of our natural resources, and our markets, it is possible to identify common threads in issues affecting the development of our natural resources, within the Pacific islands.”
He said that everyone must work together to find a pathway through the forest sector to ensure that the people in the Pacific live a sustainable, dynamic and commercially viable and vibrant forest industry.
