2016 Pacific Judicial Conference

Speaking at day two of the 2016 Pacific Judicial Conference, Supreme Court of Guam’s Chief Justice Robert Torres said there is an undeniable shift in how people in the 21^st century communicate.

Historically the dissemination of decisions and judgments in the pacific have occurred through print and are now gradually moving towards electronic and online publication via websites and for some countries using social media.

For this to be done accurately the involvement of staff is critical in ensuring the right data is entered into the data system that is uses, says PNG’s Chief Justice Sir Salamo Injia.

The Judicial Case Management System (JCMS) currently uses the Case Docketing System that sees data entered onto the Enterprise data base system.

In 2012, a new system code named Case Docketing System (CDS) was introduced which saw cases assigned to judges. It was developed by the National Judiciary Staff Services IT advisor Koichi Nakagawa (pictured above.)  

Chairman of the 2016 Pacific Judicial Conference Justice Panuel Mogish this morning welcomed the judges including senior magistrates from 20 Pacific Island Countries.

Justice Mogish said the timing for the conference is also timely as it is scheduled to coincide with PNG’s 41 Independence celebrations.

“This will provide our overseas guest the opportunity to join in the anniversary and festivities in the country in Port Moresby as well as in Kokopo in the East New Britain province,” he said in his welcome remarks today.

He said currently Pacific island judiciaries are accustomed to the use of a Registry-based Case Management System however its application has produced court inefficiency.

The Registry-based Case Management System or RCMS has been responsible for many undesired outcomes such as the accumulation of a backlog of cases that have remained unreached for many years.

As a result of dissatisfaction over the RCMS, Sir Salamo Injia today said a modern case system has evolved.

The PNG Judiciary is playing host to yet another high-level judiciary meet after the successful conclusion of a four-day regional forum of Chief Justices in the Pacific last week.

The event will be held at the Convention Centre at Waigani, starting at 8am today.

It is held every two years, which sees Chief Justice and representative Judges from Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, the Federated States of Micronesia, Guam, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Nauru, Niue, Palau, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, PNG as well as and the USA, attend.