The Solomon Islands Forestry Minister says a mechanism is being developed to ensure local landowners receive a fair market price for trees cut by logging operations on their land.
Sir Allan Kemakeza says forestry owners should get the maximum benefits from their resources, and the newly formed Monitoring Division will see log monitors being posted throughout the provinces.
These forestry officials will now scrutinise logging applications for licenses and carry out random checks on log ponds to ensure proper records are kept before the logs are shipped overseas.
Sir Allan says random checks are carried out also to ensure fair prices for the exports.
Earlier, Prime Minister Dr Derek Sikua tiold parliament that logging operators which breach the Forestry Act must be de-registered.
Dr Sikua has outlined the government's policy of ensuring resource owners get the maximum benefits from their resources.
He also said the Ministry of Forestry is encouraging traditional forest resource owners to mill their forests and enter into downstream operations.
