|
White Paper on law and justice
administration out
By ALISON ANIS
A WHITE Paper policy on law and justice
administration that sets to promote a just, safe and secure society for
PNG was officially launched yesterday by Governor-General Sir Paulias
Matane at Parliament House.
Sir Paulias commended the Government on the policy document, adding it
captured the expectations and aspirations of the people.
He said the White Paper reconfirmed law and justice as a major
development priority for the Government as per the Medium Term
Development Strategy (MTDS) and endorsed the national law and justice
policy and the sector strategic framework.
“We need to shine brighter lights into the dark places that are allowing
fraud and corruption to steal the resources of the people for the
benefit of a few greedy individuals,” he said.
Sir Paulias noted the changes in the White Paper as significant reforms
to the law and justice system in the country.
He said the White Paper called for adjustments the Department of Justice
and the Attorney-General and the judicial system, which was seen to be
ineffective.
Sir Paulias said subject to the 2008 budgetary support, the department
would be split into two departments effective from next Jan 1.
He said the department would be headed by the secretary for justice as
the policy department responsible for provision of justice and policy
advice to the government while the Attorney-General would head the new
government law office which will be responsible for the provision of
timely, quality legal services to NEC and the State through the
Attorney-General, the State solicitor and the solicitor-general.
The minister for justice will be responsible for both departments.
Sir Paulias said the separation would allow for each department to be
managed properly and bring PNG into line with most other commonwealth
and Westminster jurisdiction.
“It will enable the Attorney- General and State legal officers to
concentrate on providing legal and advocacy services, whilst the
department will concentrate on providing policy advice of justice
services such as probation, parole, community-based corrections, etc.
Similar changes have also been proposed by the Chief Justice and judges
for the transformation of the current national judicial structure to
allow for the:
*Creation of a permanent Supreme Court with the country’s best judges
appointed fulltime to that court;
*Establishment of an intermediate appellate court, a court of appeal to
hear appeals from the National Court before they go to the Supreme court
as a final appellate Court. (The judge of this court would be selected
from the national court as required on a rotational basis);
*Removal of the present fixed 10-year term of office for citizen judges,
in other words, judges, once appointed will remain in office until they
reach retirement age;
*Term of appintment for non-citizen judges to be extended from three
years to 10 years; and
n Retirement age for judges to be increased from 65 to 72 years of age.
Sir Paulias said the Government had decided to refer these proposals to
the Constitutional and Law Reform Commission for public consultation.
The commission will make its recommendations to the Justice Minister,
who will then take it to the National Executive Council.
 
|
