Official: Pay not enough for needs

THE K300 monthly allowance is not enough to sustain a big family in Mt Hagen, says a village court magistrate.
David John, a magistrate at Tarangau village court, said yesterday the K300 he earned was not enough to feed his family and paying for his children attending school.
John, from Southern Highlands and a magistrate for 10 years, said the Government should recognise them and include them in the payroll.
He said village court officials sacrificed their time and effort to resolve disputes, and maintain peace and harmony in their communities but were not properly compensated.
John said the K300 monthly allowance he received was not enough to serve his family of six in Mt Hagen, and send one of his dependents to a college this year.
“I can’t get a bank loan to pay school fees because I am not a public servant and contributor to a superannuation fund,” he said.
John said that getting allowances on a monthly basis was an old system and must be done away with.
He said village court magistrates had died without receiving any recognition from Government.