Govt urged to setup human rights office

By DELORESE TALASI
ACTING Chief Ombudsman Richard Pagen has called on the Government to establish a Human Rights Commission.
Pagen said the country was a signatory to the United Nations human rights convention.
“PNG should have a human rights commission office set up because we are going out of our bounds when we look at human rights abuse particularly by police, defence and correctional services (officers),” Pagen said.
He said the Ombudsman Commission was an institution which ensured that accountability, transparency and compliance were met by the government, its agencies and servants.
“The ombudsman commission’s duty is to ensure that the kind of service the people of PNG need are delivered through proper acquaintance of the procurement.
“(It) is an institution that guards the constitution to ensure that disharmony does not exist. (It) protects the peace and good order of the country and most importantly to ensure that the rights of the people are protected.”
Meanwhile the commission is currently reviewing the delivery of health and education systems. It is reviewing the two systems and will submit a report to the Government to draw up policies.
“We are doing a countrywide review to advise the government with recommendations to come up with relevant policies,” Pagen said.