PNG a free country despite portrayed as violent: Sir Gibbs

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CHIEF Justice Sir Gibbs Salika says he still believes that PNG is a free country to live in despite being portrayed as a violent country.
He was responding to reports from the Department of Justice and Attorney General about PNG being a violent country, with 90 per cent of it being corrupt.
He said researchers of crime should go out to different parts of the country and live with the people for some time in order to provide definitive accounts of what they experienced.
“Some of these reports are taken only in Port Moresby, Lae, and Mt Hagen. They don’t go to where 90 per cent of our population live in village communities where they take care of each other,” he told a gathering of members of the law and justice sector.
He said mothers and children were taken care of well in the villages.
“I really could not care about these reports, which are not accurate in my view. One would think that these reports will put us in a bad world view but I am a proud Papua New Guinean and I am not going to allow that kind of nonsense to take place in my society.
“I defend my country wherever I go and I will continue defending PNG with all my heart,” he added. “We do have issues, I cannot dispute that, every country has its own issues, and we are working on addressing ours,” he said.
Speaking about the judiciary system, Sir Gibbs said annual reports from the judiciary were important for people to know what the judiciary was doing.
“Annual reports are the only way our people get to know what we are doing, the process and systems in place,” he said.

9 comments

  • Well said Chief Justice, Papua New Guineans are very considerate people who care for each other and every community in the villages make sure so community member is left behind. We share whatever little we have with family and community members. In PNG people do not fight each other for nothing, we always react to something done against community or community member. People who make negative comments do not understand the complex structure of the PNG communities nation wide.

  • I agree bro..we are blessed PNG..God will protect us from the coronavirus COVID-19
    Dont be panic but just trust God that we are covered by his wings.

  • Good to know that YOU know majority of Population lives in rural areas, having that in mind i understands that you definitely will know the basic services needed by these rural population. They lack in these services because of the leaders who represents them don’t provide to them.

    We hear these leaders appearing to your courts, but never head them going to prison or punished. i understands certain circumstances where not enough sufficient evidence or whats so ever but please have those leaders accountable for neglecting their responsibilities.

    That is if You and I are real proud citizen of this wonderful country.

  • Criminals responsible for 35 possibly 100 deaths on rural Lavongai Island over past few years with almost no action by police. My extended family and other families are so-called internally displaced refugees for over three years in Kavieng
    A ‘Riot Squad’ is said to be likely – some time
    I do agree though that some statistics seem an exaggeration

  • The GLORY of God is covering this Nation as the Waters Cover the sea, do not fear Coronavirus, God is for us,
    the Good Lord has Chosen this Nation, a foolish Nation to confound the wise, to reveal his Glory that is not seen with a naked eye can be only seen with a spiritual eye for the God we serve is SPIRIT. Our task only is to worship &
    do the will of God…….

  • I totally agree with you chief Justice, I am working and living aboard , and most people say that PNG is so scary to live in and most of them ask me questions as to why this is happening in PNG . Sometimes ,I just answer them feeling bad . I know our country PNG is a nation God has chosen and we are blessed despite of any negative pictures painted by media etc.
    I love PNG and my heart remains in PNG God Bless PNG from the highlands to the coast God be with us .

  • Last month my uncle was tortured and burnt to ashes in Daulo District, Upper Asaro, pikosa village for witchcraft or Sanguma and yet no police have attended to that serious crime although matter was reported to them. the culprits are walking around freely as they did nothing. How can Our Good Chief Justice say our community is safe and free when there is unreported killing everywhere. This blunt statement may be good for the outside world but people within our communities are quietly missing or are dying unnoticed. Women and children are living in fear every days of their life. I hope Our Good Lord will burn those senseless people to ashes.

  • Does not change the fact the stats reflect the status of our major towns and cities. Don’t go burying your head in the sand CJ because of your patriotism. You know it is happening. You just don’t want to admit that it is. See the number of people going through your courts. See the number of leaders that are been prosecuted yet you find them not GUILTY!! See the number of people that don’t have the privilege of being guarded like you and other leaders are. See the cost of living that has sky rocketed, cost of goods and service, condition of hospital schools roads etc.. Common stop being blind.

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