District Court, Daru, Kiunga & Tabubil

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PNG's judicial system consists of Village Courts, District Courts and the National Court which is the superior trial court.  Magisterial Services (established by section 173(1) of Constitution of Papua New Guinea) administers the District Court system within PNG, and there are 57 District Court establishments across the nation staffed by 88 magistrates and more than 500 court support staff.

 

 

The District Court's key functional jurisdictions include:

  • Hearing of Civil matters (general civil and family court),
  • Hearing of Criminal cases (committal and summary),
  • Establishing Leadership and Administrative tribunals,
  • Hearing matters relating to Land (Local and Provincial Land Courts),
  • Conducting Village Court appeals and reviews,
  • Juvenile Criminal Court matters,
  • Pikinini (Civil) Court matters, and
  • Coroner’s Court

The District Court uses formal and informal approaches for settling grievances, particularly in the use of Alternative Dispute Resolution.

Magistrates can also make orders for a community work order to be undertaken by a defendant who has been found guilty.  Where mitigating factors outweigh the aggravating factors, the defendant may be placed on probation with conditions for community work and/or payment of compensation. 

Contact:

Daru District Court

PO Box 133, Daru

Ph: 649 1144/1137,  Fax: 649 1095, CUG:71911262/266

Kiunga Court House

PO Box 90, Kiunga

Ph: 645 9366, Fax: 645 9088, CUG:719 11268

Tabubil Court House

PO Box 342, Tabubil

Ph: 649 9094,  Fax: 649 9184, CUG: 719 11267


Village Courts, Western Province


Village Courts are an essential part of PNG's formal court system.  They are established under the Village Courts Act 1989 and the Village Court Regulations 1973.  There are more than 1,500 Village Courts across the country, supported by over 15,000 officials, including 900 women.  Each Village Court has 4-5 Village Magistrates (appointed by the Minister for Justice as judicial officers), 3-4 Peace Officers, and 1 Clerk.  Over 90% of people living in PNG have access to a Village Court, which have the jurisdiction to settle local disputes and deal with minor crimes using customary conflict-resolution approaches wherever possible.

Village Courts are the largest provider of restorative justice services in PNG, and are authorised to do the following:
  • Mediate disputes between individuals, clans or communities.
  • Encourage parties in dispute to use local conflict resolution processes such as the "Local Chieftain System" or "Community of Elders".
  • Convene a Full Court Sitting (if mediation fails or the parties do not want to use mediation) or convene a Joint Court Sitting if the matter involves people from different Village Court areas.
  • Issue formal Preventive Orders to stop further harm, damage or fighting offences.
  • Deal with minor crimes through mediation or court sittings.  The primary goal is to achieve an outcome that is acceptable to all parties and, if this cannot be achieved, the Court can make decisions and make orders (eg. fine, compensation, restitution, work order, etc.)
  • Ensure that Village Court orders are obeyed under the Village Courts Act 1989.  If defendants fail to obey these orders, the Court can issue an Imprisonment Order which then needs to be endorsed by the District Court.
  • Refer a matter to a higher court for serious offences outside the jurisdiction of the Village Court Act and Regulations.
  • Refer a matter to another service provider (eg. Department of Community Development).

Contact:

Mr Sam Bogey

Adviser, Law and Justice

Western Provincial Administration

Division of Community Justice

P.O. Box 347, Kiunga, Western Province

Ph: 71276052

Facsimile: 6491107

Western Province has 35 Village Courts


Probation, Parole & Juvenile Justice Services, Western Province


CBC is an agency within the Department of Justice & Attorney General.  CBC has offices in every province across PNG and it plays a central role in developing and implementing restorative justice programs throughout the country.  It provides members of the community with access to community justice services which include the provision of non-custodial rehabilitation programs for both adult and juvenile offenders.  This assists offenders to re-enter society as responsible, productive citizens.

CBC is responsible for:
  • Drafting and submitting Pre-Sentencing Reports and Means Assessment Reports to the National and District Courts in order to assist the courts on appropriate alternatives to prison sentences for convicted offenders.  These alternatives could include probation, community service, mediation, restitution, compensation, counselling, rehabilitation or other diversionary strategies aimed to divert offenders from further misconduct.
  • Drafting Pre-Parole Reports in consultation with Correctional Services and the Parole Board.
  • Establishing links with government agencies, businesses, and NGOs to arrange short-term work assignments for offenders under Court orders.
  • Supervising and counselling of adult and juvenile offenders on community-based Court orders, and also parolees bound by Parole Orders to do community work.
  • Providing Courts with reports on breaches of court orders.
  • Conducing inspection visits of juvenile detention and correctional facilities

Contact:

Senior Probation Officer

Probation, Parole & Juvenile Justice Services

Dept. Of Justice & Attorney General

C/- District Court, PO Box 342, Tabubil, WP

Ph:  649 9184 or 7693 3874


Provincial Administration & Dept. for Community Development, Western


The Provincial Administrations across PNG have Community Development Branches, which provide services on behalf of the Department of Community Development.  The Welfare Officers and Child Protection Officers employed by the Provincial Administration administer the provisions of a number of acts, including the Laukautim Pikinini Act, Deserted wife & Children Act, Marriage Act, National Youth Service Act, and National Council of Women Incorporation Act.

Provincial welfare, gender & child protection officers provide the following services to the public:
  • Investigation and reporting of cases of abuse or neglect involving family or children (including domestic violence)
  • Assist with juveniles in the Police lock-ups and negotiate for their removal from the cells where appropriate
  • Deal with adoption applications and birth registration
  • Monitor employment of children in the workforce
  • Conduct counselling and mediation on all issues affecting families (particularly in relation to family conflicts, child abuse, adultery, and sexual assault/harassment)
  • Inspections of Child-Minding Centres and early childhood development programs
  • Conduct awareness programs to communities and attend school board meetings
  • Provide referrals in relation to custody & maintenance, adultery cases, & adoption

Contact:

Community Services Division

PO Box, 347, Kiunga, Western Province

Ph:  649 1159


Correctional Services, Western Province


Established under the Correctional Services Act, Papua New Guinea Correctional Services is the government agency responsible for the custody, confinement and rehabilitation of offenders and prisoners.  It is also responsible for the effective administration of the agency.  CS is responsible for operating correctional institutions across all provinces in PNG.

CS provides the following rehabilitation programs in its correctional institutions:

  • Vocational training (literacy skills, training in basic building trades - carpentry, roofing, brick & stone laying, metalwork, electrical and plumbing - agricultural skills for oil palm, cocoa, coffee & rice farming as well as fishing)
  • Counseling, mentoring, conflict resolution and mediation
  • Awareness programs on gender respect, domestic violence, and the prevention & spread of HIV.
  • Prisoner review and recommendation for detainee placement on parole or release on license

Contact:

Correctional Services Head Office

P.O. Box 6889, Boroko NCD

Ph: 323 1855/323 1978

Fax: 323 0407

Ningurum CS

Ph:  275 6714

Fax: 275 6719


Catholic Church, Western Province


The Catholic Church of Papua New Guinea is made up of 4 Archdioceses and 15 Dioceses in Vanimo, Altape, Wewak, Lae, Madang, Mt Hagen, Wabag, Mendi, Goroka, Kundiawa, Kavieng, Kimbe, Rabaul, Kerema, Daru, Aloutau, Berina, and Port Moresby.  The church runs numerous programs across PNG (regional contact details can be obtained by ringing the Port Moresby numbers below)

The church programs include:
  • Pastoral Service:  training, planning, monitoring & evaluation
  • Marriage Tribunal:  church marriage separations & related matters
  • Youth Ministry:  training
  • HIV:  awareness, testing, treatment & care
  • Drugs & Alcohol:  awareness & counselling
  • Family Life:  awareness, training & counselling
  • Social Apostolate:  skills training (sewing, cooking & handcrafts)
  • Remand & Rehabilitation Centres:  care, training & supervision
  • Women's Ministry:  all programs relating to family and gender issues
  • Family Services & Caritas:  counselling, skills training (literacy, farming, cooking, leadership, disaster relief, & integral human

Contact:

Daru-Kiunga Diocese

Women's Office

Ph:  649 1123

Youth Office

Ph:  649 1123

Health Secretary

Ph:  649 1136

 


YWCA, Tabubil


The Young Women's Christian Association (YWCA) is a Christian-based global network of women leading social and economic change in 125 countries worldwide.  It advocates for peace, justice, health, human dignity, freedom and care of the environment, and has been at the forefront of raising the status of women since it was founded in 1894.  In PNG, the YWCA is a membership organisation open to women and girls who wish to share their skills and time to help other women and girls to develop and grow in Spirit, Body and Mind and to become leaders in advocacy and action for social justice.  The YWCA has a head office in Port Moresby with a number of branches across the nation.

The YWCA has a number of core programs, including:

  • Hostel accommodation for working girls or students
  • Prison rehabilitation programs which include court attendance, supervision of offenders on parole (community work orders), counselling, and mediation
  • Under 18 Children's Club which includes school holiday workshops, juvenile justice training, child rights and responsibilities, empowerment of young women, and drug and alcohol education
  • Also general training programs in literacy (beginners to advanced), leadership development, dress-making, cooking, reproductive health, HIV, computer training, and social, educational and spiritual activities.
  • Youth adolescent Health Club provides training in the areas of women, youth and children's rights and the sexual health of girls and boys

Contact:

Mrs Kila Amini, General Secretary

Mrs Marie Balil, Programs Co-ordinator

YWCA Port Moresby

PO Box 1883, Boroko, NCD

Ph: 325 6522 or 340 6927

Mrs Gela Magilo

YWCA Tabubil

PO Box 357, Tabubil, WP

Ph:548 8448 or 7622 7226


Mercy Works PNG ( Kiunga, Western Province)


Mercy Works in an NGO founded in 2006 by the Sisters of Mercy Australia & PNG who are committed to reaching out to the poor and vulnerable within the community.  It receives funding from individual donors and churches and works closely through a number of government and non-government organisations, including Police, CBC, Courts, Community Development, Correctional Services, Department of Education, Ombudsman's Office, Public Solicitor, hospitals, media, and human rights bodies.

Mercy Works offers the following services:

  • Advocacy on human rights issues on media programs
  • Support to juveniles when appearing in court
  • Awareness raising in villages (women, youths, men and victims)
  • Rehabilitation programs in prisons – Health, personal development, human rights and skills training in cooking, sewing and craft
  • Repatriation programs for juveniles
  • Outreach programs to street gangs, former prisoners, sex workers, widows, deserted women, victims of crime, and HIV sufferers
  • Referral program to other relevant agencies and organisations, and
  • Follow-up visits to prisoners released into the community

Contact:  Sr Maureen Sexton

Project Co-ordinator Mercy Works

Sisters of Mercy

Kiunga, WP

Ph:  649 1159

Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.


Saint Gabriel Technical Secondary School (Kiunga, Western Province)


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Saint Gabriel Technical Secondary School is run by the Monfort Brothers of St. Gabriel. It is a catholic run educational institution. The institution provides life skills training to youths who cannot secure further education through the current education system. It targets dropouts from Gr.10 & Gr 12 with good gradings.

 

 

 

Monfort Brothers of St.Gabriel Technical Secondary School

Saint Gabriel Technical Secondary School offers the following life skills and training programs for youths:
  • Agriculture (farming – animal husbandry),food crops, food processing
  • Basic Bookkeeping
  • Carpentry, plumbing, electrical, mechanical (light machinery)

Contact:

The Principal

Saint Gabriel Technical Secondary School

PO Box 279,Kiunga 335, WP

Ph:  649 1151/6491076/7176439

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Caritas Papua New Guinea – Catholic Diocese Daru/Kiunga


Caritas PNG is an agency of the Catholic Bishops Conference (CBC) of PNG & Solomon Islands. They promote Integral Human Development of the grassroots citizens of PNG. The mission of Caritas PNG is to take active role in social justice, peace, ecology, and human development issues as part of the pastoral mission of the Church, promote Catholic Social Teaching, address injustice, inequalities, poverty and dependency which undermine human dignity, and be a voice for the poor and marginalized to build a better PNG.

It has operates through main goals: Integral Human Development (IHD), Disaster & Relief Management, Helping the Poor and Marginalized, Research & Advocacy, Child Protection, Gender Equality, Ecological Stewardship & Care of God’s Creation, Democratic Governance.

  • Community mobilization and action program – Cooperative Society/Community Association formations and trainings).
  • Leadership training for Village Ward Councillors, Village Courts, and Peace Mediators, etc. Peace-building (conflict management, restorative justice, conflict mediation/)
  • Women’s empowerment (economic, leadership, personality)
  • Community leadership training.
  • Youth formation program for delinquent youths.
  • Male advocates for peace and development in communities.
  • Counselling services for victims of gender violence/sexual violence, and other forms of emotional restoration.

Contact:

Mr Robert Frank – Diocesan Caritas Coordinator

Daru/Kiunga Catholic Diocese

P O Box 42, Kiunga,  Western Province

Ph:  649 1123

Fax: 649 1050

Mb: 7212 6404

Email:This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.


National Youth Development Authority – Daru, Western Province


The National Youth Development Authority is a government agency established to provide policy directives for the youth of PNG. It provides a framework for planning and program development for all agencies and organisations involved in youth development work. Inclusive in its policy area for stakeholders to develop and implement programs is Law Order and Justice with the objectives to promote, maintain safety, security and peace in communities.

  • Provide capacity building for stakeholders/program partners
  • Strengthen community policing programs at the Provincial, District and Ward level
  • Encourage community based peer leadership on crime prevention and restorative justice programs for young people
  • Educate young people on their Rights against abuse and violence
  • Indentify and market rehabilitation training programs
  • Establish partner with training and rehabilitation institutions
  • Maintain and monitor youth program/project

Contact:

Henry Koiti

Manager Human Resource

Mobile:731 63486

Marilla Hesaboda

District Community Development Officer

Mobile:731 63486

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