Chief Justice visits Bereina station

The Judiciary's plan in ensuring all cases are heard in proper court facilities has prompted the Chief Justice Sir Salamo Injia to visit the Bereina station and experienced the condition of its existing facility.

His visit today to Bereina was the first for a local Chief Justice after the last expatriate head of the Judiciary visited the area some 43 years ago.

For the locals there, it was history for them to have the country's Chief Justice visits their district as he has not visited any other districts in the Central province. 

Sir Salamo's visit was to inspect the area where the current court facility sits and for planning to go ahead in upgrading the facility.

The facility, once upgraded will become a sub registry for the Central province.

He said the facilities at Bereina will be upgraded using the building materials that were demolished from the facilities at Waigani.

“They will be used to construct a new Court house and magistrate's house.”

Sir Salamo added that construction will go ahead for Bereina despite initial plans to have a National Court facility built at the proposed Central City at Bautama.

"The Judiciary will not wait for Bautama. I've decided it's time to build good court houses in districts, starting with Bereina.

"We cannot sit in the open place to do decisions. The law urged us to sit down in a court facility.”

He said to sit in an open place and make decisions lacks integrity and will not be respected.

Bereina is one of the gazetted areas for court sitting.

The Kwikila National Court house is another that is frequently used.

Other areas are in Moreguina in Rigo and Magarida in Abau.

Wapanamanda, Loiusia and Bialla are the other three areas where the Judiciary is upgrading its court facilities at a district level for both the higher and lower judiciary.

Author: 
Sally Pokiton