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| Book Review: PNG LAW AND JUSTICE SUCCESS STORIES |
The Papua New Guinea Law and Justice sector’s latest publication, ‘Success Stories’ puts into perspective, the sector’s approach efforts over the past few years. The stories, elaborately detailed and condensed do justice to the efforts of many of the sector’s workers.
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Success Stories... documents how the justice sector is achieving results.
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It juxtaposes their contributions, however little or large, and aligns the sector’s profile to the government’s efforts to address the Medium Term Development Strategy (MTDS).
Chairman of the sector’s National Coordinating Mechanism (NCM) Valentine Kambori credited the sector staff for their patronage.
“This book, ladies and gentlemen is about you. Your efforts, your sweat, labour and your achievements. Only you are qualified to comment and acknowledge this. And this book, let me reiterate is about flagging the law and justice banner high,” said Kambori.
The book in a way sets the pace for the sector in its endeavour to complement the national government’s efforts to remove obstacles to growth.
Contributions for this volume have been through the deeds of sector staff based in some of the agencies.
There are six stories from the police, five from the PNG Correctional Service, four from the courts, one from the Office of the Public Solicitor and three featuring the community’s involvement.
“We have endeavoured to present the stories in the context of the agencies,” says the book’s editor, Joe Kanekane.
“It is important that our readers read the stories and particularly how workers are perceived and appreciated.”
Kanekane also added that the book is an opportunity for the populace to see how the sector is achieving results. He added that people demand a lot of answers from the agencies and through the book, their queries are being addressed.
He however added that the selection of stories did not belittle other significant contributions, but placed the event on a time scale that meant a lot to the agency concerned.
New frontiers explored include a chapter on the appointment of female village court magistrates in the Porgera Valley. It presents the efforts of the village courts to seek avenues for women to seek redress.
Victims of domestic and sexual violence having a place to go in the Eastern Highlands province is another significant inclusion. The book also features the work of the Eastern Highlands Family Voice.
The East Sepik’s community policing initiative adds a new dimension to community policing.
The Correctional Services adherence to its corporate plans is also included through the work of the jails in Simbu and Kerevat.
Farming and self reliance as well as prudent management are reflected by commandants of these two jails.
The use of court exhibitions by the National and District Courts to inform the masses is an apt catalyst for information and awareness.
Its success, equally telling, projects the potential and avails the opportunity for the common people to grasp information about the courts.
Perhaps one of the key stories is that of the Gepahina community in Goroka’s peripheries, who are keen on traditional norms of dispute resolution.
This volume is also an excellent curriculum and students and teachers alike should find it enriching. The law and justice sector secretariat’s director Kepas Paon said the publication dovetails the sector’s contributions.
“This book endeavours to reflect how our agencies see themselves as being part of a success story,” said Paon.
The book can also be a coffee table inclusion and boasts of splendid colour, blended with glossy pages. It can also be a valuable information piece for tourists and should sit nicely in shelves and corporate offices.
Above all, it is a diary of the achievements, milestones and the many efforts, often not told in the public domain.
–BY RICHARD MANGUI
Acting Director Media and Community
Relations with the PNG
Correction Service.
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