Environmentalists in Solomon Islands say they are shocked that politicians have not taken an opportunity to safeguard the country's rapidly disappearing forests.
A Forestry Bill, aimed at limiting logging to a more sustainable level, was expected to go before the just ended parliamentary session, but was not tabled.
Oxfam Australia is one of a number of NGOs in a coalition supporting the bill, and its spokesperson, Genevieve Walker, says the coalition members are shocked and confused by the decision.
She says it will now be at least ten months before it can become law, and in the meantime the rate of logging is set to soar.
"There's the current rate of licences being issued that tells the forest department that between 30 to 40 per cent of cuttable forest, will be tied up in licences, that will then see it being cut, so 30 to 40 per cent is between three to four million cubic metres of forest."
