Training planned for village court officials in Morobe

Youth & Careers

By PISAI GUMAR
TRAINING for village court magistrates, clerks and land mediators in the Finschhafen, Tewae-Siassi and Kabwum (Fisika) region in Morobe will be held in Kabwum from for Sept 25-29.
The intensive theory and practical training will be facilitated by Australian accredited provincial trainers.
The training is to help village court magistrates and mediators execute their roles and responsibilities in resolving social issues in communities.
Since the inception of village courts and land mediation, those engaged voluntarily as magistrates and mediators have used a Tok Pisin manual. Morobe provincial village court officer Reuben Ason said that with developments in the nine districts, village court officials and magistrates needed the right skills and knowledge to deal with social issues.
“There are various forms of social issues including socio-economic developmental issues in village settings and it is proper to enhance village court officials to identify issues accordingly and
mediate them to instill peace in villages,” Ason said.
“Village courts and mediators are the image of the three-tier government assuming the role of the judiciary in
rural areas dealing with human welfare.
“Dealing with humans who are also spiritual beings is very challenging as the decisions at times do affect human lives, hence it is a very conscientious task and such training charts the way forward for village magistrates and land mediators.”
Similar training for Bulolo, Huon Gulf, Lae, Nawaeb and Markham were held earlier in collaboration with the law and justice programme supported by the Australian government.
The provincial and local level government affairs office is rolling out the training into 87 village court areas in Morobe’s 33 LLGs.