Twelve forest guards of the Ministry of Forestry were awarded certificates after a week-long training conducted by officers of the Republic of Fiji Military Forces.
Deputy Conservator of Forest, Samuela Lagataki said the training was aimed at developing team work, knowledge, leadership skills and attributes required of an effective and efficient officer.
“Having such training helps in improving communication, making your workplace enjoyable, encourage motivation, getting everyone to operate on the same wave length, and improving productivity,” Mr Lagataki said.
The training follows the signing last week of a memorandum of understanding between the ministry and RFMF.
“The signing takes our effort of implementing Sustainable Forest Management to another level and will instill a lot of discipline and a high degree of physical fitness to our key filed staff because our key law enforcement officers need to wear multiple hats at the same time during daily activities,” he said.
That is why there is a need to manage our forest sustainably.
“Fiji has around one million hectares of forests, which include around 100,000 hectares of pine and mahogany plantation,” Mr Lagataki said.
“Our natural forest plays a central role in supporting and providing for a complex web of life that is a source of forest ecosystem service critical for sustainable development.
“If we mismanage our forest, the quality of benefits will be degraded equally.
“Forest contributes directly to the achievement of Millennium Development Goal 1 and 7 and also contributes directly to Pillars 5 and 8 of the Peoples Charter for Change, Peace and Progress which are Achieving Higher Economic Growth While Ensuring Sustainability and Reducing Poverty to a Negligible Level by 2015 respectively. ”
Training participant Saimone Nalewabau commended the week- long training.
“Our discipline level has gone up and that includes the basic hygiene like keeping room clean and tidy. Physical fitness has improved and we will be able to execute our activities to the best of our ability in this condition,” Mr Nalewabau said