Workers Compensation Act is outdated, due for review

ALLOW me to air my views on the Workers’ Compensation Act 1978.
Firstly, PNG workers must appreciate the awareness campaign and workshops organised by the Office of the Workers Compensation (OWC) across the country.
To the OWC you are all commended for taking the initiative to lead PNG Workers to make amendments to the Workers Compensation Aact 1978 which is long overdue.
I have checked the internet and read the Workers Compensation Act 1978 and realised a lot of effort, time, and thought  is required by the OWC as well to get support from the public and working group to amend the colonial oriented workers compensation act introduced some 39 years ago.
In particular reference to Part V1, the amount of compensation to be paid to a dead worker’s dependents and family and amount to be paid to a living and incapable worker.
In both cases, injuries or death sustained due to work related circumstances whether it be during working hours, before working works, and after working hours, the amount and rate of compensation payable on death of worker and incapability of worker calculated in 1978 or around that time is far too unrealistic in this 21st century 2017.
There are sections with tables and figures which relate to as back as 1994 which I assume the office of workers compensation are still using and applying to calculate victims compensation payment.
If there was a standard formula used in 1978 to arrive at those figures, please remember that we are now 39 years old.
Therefore please relate the formula to current year 2017 and make honest and fair calculations to compensate a once hard working man or woman who may have died, paralysed or incapable of performing 100 per cent of his/her ability at work with those unstable body conditions and still struggles to meet ends.
I pay particular reference to the workers compensation ACT 1978 and referring to 1994 calculations basing on K25, 000 is lousy compared to a man or woman whose life was spending working in the system, whether it be in the government or private sector.
We should apply the fixed rate to be increased every year which is stated K2000.
So this year 2017, it is 23 years from 1994, therefore the figure we should use to calculate compensation payment is K71,000 and not basing on K25,000.
It is good to note that the office of workers compensation is reviewing and working on this law to amend, however we need to interpret the sections as mentioned correctly for application.
We the workers have to critic, comment and send in views and thoughts to help amend the old Workers Compensation Act 1978 so that at the end when one is affected we will know and understand that we have been part and partial of the amendment.

Kusi A, Via email