Mediation

Chief Justice, Sir Gibbs Salika challenged 65 graduates comprising of Judges, Magistrates, Lawyers including heads of government agencies at the recent 8^th Papua New Guinea accredited mediator graduation in Port Moresby.

Mediation is an Alternative Dispute Resolution process that continues to better manage, dispose and reduce the backlog of cases before the courts.

This is the 8^th PNG accredited mediator graduation hosted by Alternative Dispute Resolution Services.

The peace mediation went rowdy after relatives of the deceased women, said to have been murdered by a police officer, became disgruntled over compensation payments from the offender’s side of the family.

Initially an agreement was reached where the funeral costs would be met by the deceased’s family whilst the offender’s family was tasked to pay K300, 000 as compensation by December.

According to the deceased’s family, to this date, the offender’s family have not held up their end of the deal.

Speaking at the Legal Training Institute’s graduation, Justice Kandakasi reiterated that the way to resolving conflicts is through mediation.

“Papua New Guinea needs problem solvers, not lawyers. Papua New Guinea needs peace builders, not lawyers.

“You need to fine tune yourself, seeing yourself as someone who’s going to be in the forefront of building peace for the nation, of bringing out solutions for the nation. Not condoning the problem with unnecessary lawyering,” he told the graduating class.