By LORRAINE WOHI
THE Department of Justice and Attorney
General is now working on the
guideline for the Power of Mercy program
which is expected to complete
soon.
Correctional Service Commissioner
Stephen Pokanis said that this guideline
would help the chairman and the
committee to sit and look into the application
of the Power of Mercy. “Correctional
Services will play its part and
the same guideline will also come before
Correctional Service,” Pokanis
said. “We are still waiting for the
guidelines to be complete, once it is
done, we will also help to put in application
for prisoners who can apply for
the power of mercy.
He said the program (Power of
Mercy) was in our constitution which
needed guidelines to guide and administer
the application for the prisoners
who are eligible to go through power
of mercy.
Outgoing Minister for Correctional
Services Win Daki, who has been the
push behind the program thanked the
Justice Department and the Minister
Brian Kramer to accept his request for
the program to be reestablish after 11
years.
Daki said those that are in prison
needed the Power of Mercy.
Prime Minister James Marape while
announcing the Power of Mercy committee
members last year, said the role
of the committee was to deal with extreme
cases of political concise and
common criminals.
He said consideration must be given
to people who are of old age and in serious
infirmity, or suffering from unsound
mind or some other disabilities
including those on death row and life
sentences as well as women (mothers)
prisoners.
“This committee is a very important
constitutional institution and my Government
has finally approved the
reestablishment of the advisory committee
on Power of Mercy after 11
years of non-action by previous government,”
Marape said.
The Prime Minister said that the establishment
of such committee has
completed the criminal justice system
form the point of: arrest to imprisonment,
release on parole, release on license,
and release under Power of
Mercy Committee.
Power of Mercy Committee consisted
of Chairman and MP for
Goroka, Aiye Tambua.
Cabinet also appointed the following
members to the committee comprising
of: Christine Copeland- a
lawyer with the Law Society, Dr. Lucy
John, a medical practitioner with experiences
in psychiatry, Rev. Roger
Joseph, Chairman PNG Council of
Churches, and Pastor Mollie George,
a person with experience in community
work (civil society).
