Maintaining rule of law vital, says chief justice

By DEMAS TIEN
The law and justice department has not been given enough resources to maintain the rule of law in the country, Chief Justice Sir Salamo Injia says.
Sir Salamo said maintaining the rule of law was “very important because law and order problems have become a threat to  communities and the people”.
“Unfortunately, law and justice sector agencies that work very hard to support and maintain the rule of law have not scored very well on the Government’s strategic thinking and planning,” Sir Salamo said.
“Those of us who are charged with the responsibility of supporting and maintaining the rule of law, worked hard to ensure that the rule of law is maintained at every level of the community.
“Without law, there is no Papua New Guinea.
“There’s a law called the Constitution of Papua New Guinea that establishes and creates the country. It sets out the government system.
“It is a law that defines who we are.”
As  chief justice, Sir Salamo was a senior member of a group called National Coordination Mechanism that comprised other heads of the law and justice sector agencies.
The group comprised the chief justice, chief magistrate, secretary for the Department of Justice and Attorney-General, chief ombudsman, commissioner of police, commissioner of the Correctional Services, director of the Legal Training Institute, chief executive officer of the Law Reform Commission and director of the National Intelligence Organisation.
Sir Salamo said the heads of law and justice sector agencies sat together to decide on the type of programmes and activities in a coordinated way to ensure that services reached the people at all levels of the community.