Kandakasi takes swipe at lawyers

LAWYERS appearing in court without their files has prompted Justice Ambeng Kandakasi to ask if the PNG Law Society still exists.
Kandakasi made this remark yesterday at the Waigani National Court in a room full of lawyers.
In a particular case, one of the lawyers did not have one of the files that he (Kandakasi) asked for.
As a general question to the lawyers, clients and other observers Kandakasi asked: “What shall we do with lawyers who turn up in court without files?
“I do not know if the PNG Law Society is still in existence.
“I also do not know if there is any annual meeting by the society.
“Do you have any bright ideas to correct these problems about lawyers missing their files?” Kandakasi asked the lawyers.
On Monday, Kandakasi grilled a young lawyer for not adhering to court procedures.
That included the lawyer’s non-appearance as the plaintiff for his own case because he was attending to his employer’s cases.
“You chose to be a plaintiff for your case.
“You should pursue your case expeditiously,” Kandakasi told the lawyer.
The lawyer also was advised not to state facts in court that were not on the affidavit.
The lawyer failed to appear for his own case in one instance and was told by Kandakasi on Monday that “one has to look after one’s own affairs first before attending to his employer’s affairs”. 
“It is like you are forgetting to eat to go to work,” he said.