Kua: Our pillar of democracy

THE judiciary has emerged as the pillar of democracy in Papua New Guinea, Law Society president Kerenga Kua says.
He said against the backdrop of an increasing population and equally increasing complex legal issues, with the strain and stress of limited manpower, the judiciary had emerged to be the pillar of the Westminster system of government.
 “This has not been by design but by circumstance. It is into this kind of environment that our four new judges are appointed,” Kua said last Friday at the special ceremonial sitting of PNG’s national and Supreme Courts to welcome onto the bench four new permanent judges.
The four new judges will serve a collective 19 years on the bench.
The four new judges are justices Stephen Kassman, Jacinta Murray, Berna Joan Collier and John Alexander Logan RFD.
The latter two are serving judges of the Federal Court of Australia.
Kua congratulated the four judges on their appointments.
About Kassman, Kua said: “Your honour’s excellent standing as senior practitioner has been acknowledged as honorary consul of the Republic of Tanzania in PNG;  chairman of the Cheshire Homes for 20 years helping disabled people; and council member of the PNG Law Society for three consecutive terms.
To Murray, Kua said the appointment was as notable in that it “signals a message that the Judicial and Legal Services Commission has a long-term approach.
“Your appointment and that of justice Berna Collier brings the number of female judges to four. That is the highest number of female judges on the bench in our short history.”
Kua told the sitting that the world, as a global village, now called for exchange of ideas between the common law jurisdictions.
Kua said the appointment of two Australians judges “is a manifestation of one of those aspects of our close bonds. The appointment of your honours Berna Collier and John Logan is very significant to our courts”.
“We stand to benefit immensely from your individual experiences from the Federal Court of Australia, and before that your experiences from the Bar.” 
Justices Murray and Kassman have been serving as judges this past year and were confirmed as permanent appointees last Friday while the two Australian judge were sworn-in at the Government House by Governor-General Sir Michael Ogio last Thursday.
Justice Murray will serve a 10- year term while Justice Kassman, who is now an Australian citizen, Justice Collier and Justice Logan will each serve three years.
The Department of Justice and Attorney Secretary Lawrence Kalinoe, in place of the scheduled AG Dr Allan Marat, granted his department’s full support in working with the judiciary while welcoming.