A Law and Justice Sector-wide and integrated approach to court administration is necessary to improving access and enhance the quality of justice dispensed by the courts.
PNG’s Chief Justice Sir Salamo Injia says PNG’s participation in the sector wide initiatives has seen a wide collaboration and support amongst sector agencies that is now increasing access to judicial and legal services.
“The wide-sector approach has been adopted in several Common Law countries and like PNG, achieved good results.”
He said in order to expand its operations to the provinces, the judiciary has insisted upon and assumed full responsibility over the development of its own court buildings and facilities.
Sir Salamo attributed the sector-wide approach to the executive government’s support in the Court’s budget appropriation that has substantively increased.
“I would recommend this sector-wide integrated approach to Pacific Judiciaries,”
He said the PNG judiciary has in the last 7 years doubled its number of judges to 39 and also doubled the number of established National Courts to 14 provinces.
More than 50 percent of judges now reside in the provinces which have been supported by the office of the Public Prosecutor, Public Solicitor, Solicitor General, Police and Correctional services all moving together.