New magistrates in orientation programme

By SHEILA LASIBORI
SIX recently appointed magistrates have started their orientation programme in Port Moresby amongst some of the serving magistrates.
The orientation programme, the first of its kind for the Magisterial Service (MS) has been seen as a success because unlike the past, the MS could only send one magistrate to Australia to undergo such programmes.
This time, the MS and the Law and Justice Sector Programme (LJSP) succeeded in bringing legal experts and magistrates from the Magistrate’s Court to do presentations on issues within the profession of magistrates and magistrate’s court (district courts).
The Minister for Justice and Attorney-General on Sunday night officially opened the programme, which is scheduled to run for the whole week.
“This orientation programme is an excellent opportunity to provide you with a sound judicial foundation, upon which to start your judicial journey as a magistrate.
“The journey is not going to be easy and there will be a lot of challenges, but I am confident that training you receive will help you stand up to these challenges,” Minister Dr Allan MaratS said in a statement.
The program is under the memorandum of understanding that was signed last September by chief magistrate John Numapo and Ernie Schmatt, the chief executive officer for New South Wales Judicial Commission (NSWJC).
The programme at the cost of about K1.6 million is being funded mostly by AusAID through the LJSP with the remaining cost to be met by MS.
Mr Numapo said in the past, the MS had been sending new magistrates overseas to undergo such training programme.
“This will no longer be the case. We are now bringing in trainers and facilitators to conduct the training under a new MoU between PNGMS and NSWJC,” he said and acknowledged Mr Schmatt and council members of NWSJC for their efforts in the MoU.
Chief magistrate of Victoria Ian Grey is the guest presenter.