Pila Niningi

Compulsory retirement age for judges is 72

Minister for Justice and Attorney General, Pila Niningi clarified that age at retirement, it is not possible for a judge to secure another gainful employment after retirement but relies solely on their pension salary on retirement which is already taxed by half.

“Other allowances and fringe benefits payable to a judge ceases upon retirement,” he said.

In addition, Niningi clarified that the current medical scheme for judges does not extend to retirement leaving the judges without adequate medical cover on retirement.

Gov’t plans to improve benefits for Judges

Minister for Justice and Attorney General, Pila Niningi in a statement made this announcement saying the current pension scheme under the Judges Pension Act 1997 is inadequate.

“We will amend the Income Tax Act to have the judges exempted from paying personal tax on their pension. We will also be considering some other fringe benefits as well for judges on retirement.

“Currently, only Members of Parliament are exempted from paying tax on their pension upon retirement, I would like to see the same for the judges as well.

Imbonggu to host key gov’t offices

Imbonggu District in the Southern Highlands Province, will be hosting the Land Commission of Papua New Guinea and the Office of the Solicitor General.

The Land Commission will be conducting its awareness and hearings in the district, whilst the Solicitor General will be conducting its Client Out-Reach Program from the 27th to 31st March 2023.

Minister attends Criminal Justice Forum in Japan

The two-day event from 13th to 14th February 2023, was co-sponsored by the Ministry of Justice of Japan and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).

The Forum provided an opportunity for PNG to partner with other countries and development partners to strengthen its mutual legal assistance capacity, as well as the treatment and rehabilitation of offenders.

Minister’s Decision Questioned

This follows a gazettal that was published on Wednesday, October 27th, by the Minister for the reappointment of chairman, Ben Herowa, who they believe is facing misappropriation charges.

Today, JSPA chairman, Peter Andama, and people of Juha marched to Kitpeng Building demanding answers.

Andama said the move by Minister Niningi is in contempt of court.

He stated that Herowa was arrested and charged for allegedly abusing nearly K2 million, monies belonging to the people and JSPA.

K33m for LLG elections

Minister for Inter-Government Relations, Pila Niningi, confirmed this in Parliament today.

The Minister responsible clarified that K13m was released earlier, and K20m only recently.

“The funds have been released already. A total of K33 million was budgeted. I urge MPs to please chip in and assist because K33 million may not be enough.”

Minister Niningi received backlash from Namatanai MP Walter Schnaubelt, who demanded to know what the actual budget is to fund an LLG election, in order for MPs to know how much they can budget for this exercise.

Rural students cannot access online system: MP

Nawaeb MP Kennedy Wenge queried how rural students were expected to apply online when they do not have access to computers or the internet.

For the second time in Parliament, Wenge outlined that schools are not only located in cities or urban areas.

The World Bank reported in 2016 that 86.96 percent of PNG’s population live in the rural areas.

Wenge told Parliament that rural-based students, including those from his electorate in Morobe Province, are at a disadvantage following the introduction of the National Online Application System.

Minister calls for Police Commissioner’s resignation

Minister Niningi made this call after members of the Joint Security Task Force rampaged the Parliament house early this afternoon.

It is believed that the officers were not happy with the non-payment of their allowances during the APEC Summit, which ended on Sunday.

Minister Niningi, who was at the corridors of the Parliament house after the rampage, said such actions by law enforcers were uncalled for.

Opposition’s planned protest ‘childish’

The Minister and Imbonggu MP, Pila Niningi, said: “The Members of the Opposition have an obligation to provide a check and balance to every government decisions but it has to be done on the floor of Parliament, not homes and streets.

“The nationwide stop-work protest planned by the Members of the Opposition can be seen as an irresponsible action.

“This is childish. It’s like a barking dog without teeth.”

Imbonggu eyes rural electrification

Minister for Higher Education, Research, Science & Technology, Pila Niningi, says what Imbonggu District Development Authority is doing is in line with the National Government Medium Term Development Strategies (MTDS) and Vision 2050 by providing infrastructure and services to the rural communities.