Kwa: Rebuild village courts

THE Government needs to rebuild village courts and strengthen courts officials and land mediators, Dr Eric Kwa says.
The Secretary for Justice and Attorney-General said village court needed a shot in the arm to function effectively again because of the increasing number of crimes in villages.
“They must be situated in a proper building where they will work out justice and not under the trees and carrying documents in their bilums to the house,”Kwa said.
He said lawyers did not work in villages but village court officials and land mediators were the face of justice there.
Kwa said it was the job of the department to visit and listen to them to bring about peace and safety in their communities.
“You live in Port Moresby. You don’t know their problems. They need to be visited,” he said
He urged officers to work with village court officials and design resources they need.