THE Post-Courier has apologised to a subsidiary of Rimbunan Hijau (PNG) Group for creating “any negative perceptions” with the publication of a story last Wednesday.
The newspaper admitted last Thursday that it should not have published extracts of an affidavit by a landowner group as the document had not yet been accepted into evidence by the court nor tested by cross-examination.
“The Post-Courier also acknowledges that the substantive issues in dispute have not yet been determined and a decision will not be handed down next Monday (today), as was reported,” it said.
The article by a senior reporter of the newspaper was headlined “Landowner forced to sign paper” and said that a landowner group was allegedly forced into signing a forest management agreement by an executive of Timbers (PNG) Ltd.
The 10-paragraph correction on Thursday also included a statement from Timbers (PNG) Ltd which said that the company had complied with all necessary procedures under the Forestry Act leading up to the signing of the project agreement for the Middle Ramu Block 1 Forest Management Area.
“Furthermore, Timbers (PNG) Ltd is strenuously defending the proceeding.
“Timbers (PNG) Ltd also denies the allegation in yesterday’s (Wednesday) article that the landowners were not consulted by the PNG Forest Board regarding the selection of the developer”.
The Post-Courier added: “In relation to the correction to yesterday’s article, the Post-Courier regrets any negative perceptions which may have arisen from the article.”