Housing for magistrates is one of the many issues that the Minister for Justice and Attorney General Davis Steven hopes to address today.
Minister Steven says he has asked officers within his department to get Chief Magistrate Nerrie Eliakim to provide a report to his office for an appropriate response.
“I am aware about the funding difficulty that the Chief Magistrate is experiencing in managing our lower courts.”
He made these comments when this newsroom enquired about what his department is doing to address magistrates’ housing issues after fire gutted a unit at the Numapo Apartments at Henao Drive, Port Moresby, on February 14.
Magistrates residing at the apartments have moved out and are waiting to be relocated.
The fire has resulted in many cases before the District Court being adjourned because magistrates have not turned up for work.
Today was no different at the Waigani Committal Court. Those who turned up for their cases before Magistrates Cosmas Bidar were sent away after police prosecutors gave their return dates.
Other District Court cases that have been affected since include a summary court, family court and civil court matters.
It is understood the Fire Service is still carrying out their investigations to establish the cause of the fire.
Meanwhile, a modernisation program that was recently launched for the District Court needs funding.
Minister Steven said the office of the Chief Magistrate is an independent Constitutional office and he is working closely with the Chief Magistrate to get the reforms through.
Attempts to get comments from the Chief Magistrate at the time of this report were unsuccessful.
