Turama Forest Industries
TURAMA Forest Industries (TFI) is a logging company based in Port Moresby, the capital of Papua New Guinea. The company is not enthusiastic about publicity. It remains somewhat closed to enquiry and is keen to maintain a low profile.
It is thought that TFI is owned by proxies of the family that also owns the all-powerful Rimbunan Hijau Group of companies. It is also believed that TFI is a member of the Papua New Guinea Forest Industries Association.
In 1988, Turama was granted a logging permit in Gulf Province, covering 187,000 hectares. By 2002, around 80,000 hectares of ancient forest had been stripped.
In 1995, the Papua New Guinea government granted Turama an astounding 1.7 million hectares as a logging ‘extension’ – almost 10 times more than the original concession.
The timber permit for this new concession, called Turama Extension is valid for 35 years (until 2030). Most timber permits are only valid for 10 years.
Some people think that corruption was involved in the granting of the extension. According to Berlin-based Transparency International, Papua New Guinea is one of the most corrupt countries in the world.
TFI appears to have no website. However they do have an email address (see below) which links to a URL by the name of Daltron. The Daltron website was apparently up for sale as at 23 September, 2008.
Probably the easiest and safest way to contact TFI is by telephone.
P.O.Box 184, PORT MORESBY, Papua New Guinea
Tel No: (675) 323-5995
Fax No: (675) 323-5998
Email: tfi@daltron.com.pg