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Showing posts with the label national court

PNG’s democracy gazes creepy: Laws are bend, broken and institutions are scapegoated with adverse force.

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by PETER S. KINJAP Since independence from 1975, Papua New Guinea has enjoyed a vibrant democracy and the rule of law was at its helm with due respect and law breakers were dealt with accordingly. Six years ago things begin to change, taking a toll to all new level with corruption wide spreading in every government offices. When the country was about to embrace the benefits of the largest LNG project in the Pacific, a forcefully taken government was formed with Peter O’Neill at the rudder. Literally, Peter O’Neill was forced into the office of the Prime Minister – an issue which the courts find no jurisdiction to intervene. It was a number game and so be it – O’Neill with the numbers took by storm. This ‘invasion’ mounted a psychological effect in the minds of Peter O’Neill which was witnessed through his unpreceded and unbecoming behavior of a person to occupy the higher in the country with integrity, moral ethics and sensitivity to the rule of law. The country was shocked with

THE ROTTEN ADR JUSTICE

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by BRANDON CLAY I am not revealing my real name because of security reasons but the issues I raise here are true to the best of my knowledge. I was initially engaged to provide some consultancy services to a LNG landowner company. Occasionally, I would attend Court for my client but most of my work is non-court. I am compelled to expose this rot because I feel that Papua New Guineans have to know the frightening level of corruption gripping the judiciary and I believe the information I am providing is among the many salient examples. My clients had a case before the Court, and the presiding judge, Ambeng Kandakasi, considered this case to be part of a number of legal disputes concerning the PNG LNG so he proceeded to direct all these cases for mediation at the National Court’s Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) Track. Justice Kandakasi appointed himself as the Chief Mediator over all these cases. At the ADR track, the issues changed form, from a dispute concerning Infrast