Seminar on cooperatives

Seminar on cooperatives

JAKARTA (JP): The Ministry of Forestry and Plantations in
cooperation with the Forestry Journalists Group, the Association
of Indonesian Forest Concessionaires (APHI) and the Association
of Indonesian Wood Panel Producers (Apkindo) is to hold a one-day
seminar on empowering the role of cooperatives in the forestry
businesses.

Minister of Forestry and Plantations Muslimin Nasution said
that the seminar is expected to be a forum for government
officials, forestry experts, businesspeople and environmentalists
to discuss the benefits and impact of the government's plan to
distribute the country's forest assets to cooperatives.

APHI's chairman Adi Warsita Adinegoro said that the
concessionaires were currently waiting for government regulations
obliging timber companies to give some of their shares to
cooperatives.

"We hope that the minister and his officials will explain
further their plan on forest redistribution to give more
certainty in the forestry business," he said.

Around 250 participants from government officials, experts,
businesspeople and environmentalists will attend the seminar,
which will be held in Manggala Wanabakti Building on Nov. 3,
1998. (gis)