Operating on the street

By PETER ESILA
A VILLAGE court official in the National Capital District who has been operating on the streets for five years is appealing to the authorities for permanent courthouse.
Gerehu Urban Village Court One deputy chairman Waiga Gamu wants the National Capital District commission to build a proper courthouse with offices.
“We need an office for book-keeping, book-keeping is very important,” Gamu said.
“This is not a village, like back in our customary villages, this is a big city and we need a proper office to operate. We sit at the main road or under the trees to get summons and hear the cases.”
He urged Moresby North West MP Sir Mekere Morauta and Governor Powes Parkop, who is also a resident of Gerehu, to look into the matter.
“Village court is a very important arm of the justice system in the community,” Gamu said.
He said Gerehu was a big suburb and the court looked after about 10,000 people from Gerehu stages 1, 4, 5 and 6, Baruni and University of Papua New Guinea.
“I am keeping all the books for the justice department and NCDC village court office in my house.”
Gamu said he had been with the Gerehu Village Court for 15 years and for five of them, he was operating on the streets.
“There are others who come from other parts of the city, we do not tell them to go. I will keep doing my work, whether I sit in the sun or rain because I want to help people and solve their problems,” Gamu said.