Dear Editor,

I am from the Bauro area of Makira Ulawa Province, and having been for sometime wanting to voice concern on the logging activities in Makira. This piece from ANGISITORO M (letter to editor) challenges me and begs to differ on his or her claims.

The Bauro conservation area in central Bauro is perhaps the last remaining virgin forest in Makira, and in October of 2011 a group of land owners from this area signed a Timber Right Agreement to allow it to be logged, well not the whole area, but a substantial portion of it anyway. The period for appeal from public lapsed in January 2012, a clear three months, verification can be sort at Provincial Office Kirakira, through office of PS and forestry Department, not that they will opening share this information; I can assume.

So ANGISITORO's writing is somewhat misleading and doesn't advocate the seriousness of logging operations demeaning the people, livelihoods, survival needs and resources of Makira.

I have never seen the Hao river turn RED from slit in all my life, it is now all red and posing serious health concerns to downstream communities and the slit is spreading outwards towards the reefs along the Central Bauro area, so again ANGISITORO is misleading the discussions.

My take on ANGISITORO's writing was that situation in Makira concerning logging is okay and that individuals should raise up to occasion and do something themselves, well my friend obviously this is not working, hence; the concerns for higher authorities to respond immediately and form some interventions before it is too late.

The whole of Arosi one and two has been extensively logged out and yet there is no substantial development in that region nor is there any individuals from that region making big bucks and doing business in Honiara as a result of logging. Those who do have shipping services from the region, have loans attached to those business interests.

West Bauro and East Bauro have been logged out as well.

Note that log density in Makira is very minimal (data supplied from Forestry), hence areas lack sizable log for domestic use including logging. This means as population increase so will log deplete against local demand. This is very obvious in the Kirakira area, even chain saw operators have to walk some distance to find sizable logs to cut. These reasons and more; demand the urgency for authorities to respond as officers in Kirakira are sleeping on the job; if they still have working people in the Honiara offices?

It is just a matter of time until we find ourselves at the bottom of the pit.

Takoraha Inao
West Bauro