Magistrate: Payroll will boost work moral, performance

 By FRANCIS POKA

COURT officials in Western Highlands have praised Prime Minister Peter O’Neill for recognising their hard work and putting them on the government payroll.

Village court magistrates, land mediators, peace officers and court clerks from Tambul-Nebilyer, Mul-Baiyer, Dei council, Hagen Urban and Hagen Rural gathered at the Pope’s oval in Mt Hagen yesterday to acknowledge the government’s decision.

Konfirm-Bak village court chairman Kai Kunjil said past governments had not recognised their efforts and contributions but this had changed under the O’Neill government.

“We court officials have no proper uniforms and no proper court house to hear the case but we use our own initiative to organise it at the village and solve the domestic issues,” he said.

“We are relieving some of the burdens for the police and district court but no government had ever increased our salaries to appreciate for the work done.”

Nebeliyer village court magistrate John Paroka commended the prime minister, saying “we court officials were overlooked by the previous and the current government is for the people”.

“Putting us on the government payroll will boost our work moral and performance,” he said.