PNG to have a court of appeals

THE process to separate the National and Supreme Court and establish a Court of Appeals has started, Chief Justice Sir Gibbs Salika says.
Sir Gibbs revealed this at the opening of the 2019 Commonwealth Magistrates’ and Judges’ Association (CMJA) Conference in Port Moresby yesterday.
He said PNG judiciary system started a reform programme a few years ago with the appointment of judges in provinces with the registry expansion programme in the rural areas.
Sir Gibbs said the reform continued to improve the delivery of judicial services in the country.
“Since the reform, the overall number of judges has increased from 23 in 2008 to 40 today,” he said.
Sir Gibbs said part of the reform included an electronic case management system as well as improving court infrastructures, which to date all court files had been scanned and uploaded and with an electronic data base already being developed.
“We use a case documenting system and we are now rolling out an integrated electronic case management system.”
He said the judiciary was now looking forward to the support of Parliament and the Government to pass legislation separating the National Court from the Supreme Court by establishing a Court of Appeals.
“The process of establishing the Appeals Court and separating the Supreme Court from the National Court will begin administratively first and that has already begun,” Sir Gibbs said.
Meanwhile, Sir Gibbs said the construction of the K680 million court complex at Waigani was well advanced.
“We expect that it be completed in 2020 or 2021.”