No pay for officials

VILLAGE court officials in Jiwaka say they have not been paid since May and do not know why they have been taken off the payroll.
Some of the affected officials from the three council wards of Kindeng 2, Urup 2 and Aviamp in the Anglimp-South Waghi electorate raised the complaint yesterday.
Urup deputy village court chairman Joseph Tep said they had not been told the reason why the Government has stopped paying them.
“I have been a magistrate for 20 years and was awarded three medals by late Governor General Sir Michael Ogio for my dedicated services.
“I don’t know why I was put off pay since last month. I did not even receive the new uniforms that our Governor Dr William Tongamp promised for village court officials in the province,” Tep said.
He said they have written to the provincial administrator Michael Wandil, provincial village court inspector Joseph Opa, and the Justice and Attorney-General Department in Port Moresby but received no response, so they decided to approach the media in the hope to
receive a response from those concerned.
He said all 83 village court officials from Jiwaka were off the payroll.
He also alleged that new officials have taken their place and were wearing the uniforms.
“We are registered officials and for us to be treated like this is very shameful.”