Court dismisses public servants’ case

 A CASE filed by public servants in Southern Highlands relating to their salaries was dismissed by the Supreme Court in Waigani on Tuesday.  

A panel comprising Justices Allen David, Colin Makail and Don Sawong in a five-page judgment dismissed the appeal filed by the public servants because there was no error made by the primary judge in the National Court regarding their case. 

Makail, who gave the ruling on behalf of the other judges, said the National Court judge did not make an error when he dismissed the public servants case due to non-compliance of a conditional order. 

“We (judges) add a conditional or self-executing order is not one that should be treated lightly,” the judges said. 

“We say this because the order itself puts the party subject of the order on notice that a certain consequence will occur at a specific date in the future if the conditions order is not met. 

“Thus, it is of utmost priority that the party required to comply to its terms.” 

The public servants, mainly community health workers filed their appeal in 2014 after the National Court dismissed their case.  They filed their case claiming non payment of their entitlements.