By JACINTA DOKTA
PRIME Minister James Marape has laid out a bold vision for strengthening the rule of law and redefining national governance ahead of the country’s 50th anniversary.
Marape, who was the keynote speaker during the National Development Forum at the APEC Haus in Port Moresby today, thanked the Consultative Implementation and Monitoring Council (CIMC) for its continuous work since 1998.
The theme of the forum was, “Strengthening the Rule of Law: A Roadmap for Future Generations”.
The Prime Minister said that a good voice in society is worth hearing so people can do the right thing.
“The voice that continues to come out from CIMC is a voice from society, which is a voice from all across the churches, people, businesses and I am happy to be here at this moment,” said PM Marape.
The Prime Minister highlighted five reform priorities that his government sees as critical to securing the nation’s future.
The reform priorities include: education reform, judicial independence and reform, Anti-Corruption (ICAC), Community Responsibility and Lawful Living, and Legislative Modernization and Digital Transformation.
First Education Reform: Instilling Lawfulness from early Childhood.
While emphasizing the education reform priority, PM Marape pointed out the biggest flaw and weakness that the country is carrying, particularly due to the drop out system in the county and the education curriculum that does not empower people that were thrown out into the society half educated.
He said his government has been working to look at the education system from a holistic perspective to leave no one behind.
PM Marape proposed to the nation that education has a deep role to play in securing the country’s future.
“I’ll leave it to you all the stakeholders here to look at the education curriculum,” said Marape.
“The only thing that I ask is, don’t expand the human rights too far to bring the so-called other world view in our country.
“Curriculum must be re-rooted in our country from what is taught from early childhood to university; education is important and must be restructured.”
“Education plays an important role in saving the mindsets of our people,” he added.
“Look into education and the role it can play, the government stands ready to support you.”
PM Marape also highlighted that his government is working to strengthen the judicial processes and its independence.
He said the Pangu led government believes in the total independence of the judiciary.
“There must be only one winner of law in the country and it is the court system,” said PM Marape.
“Whatever decisions that they make, we must comply.”
He also said that the Supreme Court was elevated higher through one of his government’s reforms.
“We reformed the judiciary to make the judiciary relevant and functional without compromising due care processes and elevated Supreme Court higher, in setting appeals court, and allowing a functional National Court.
“All three will be headed by their own judge administrators as well as supporting the district and village courts in a better way and making sure the judiciary is independent,” said PM Marape.
The Prime Minister made reference to the 2011 event where a number of politicians ran into the court room and chased out a sitting judge.
He said these instances remind his government that these consultations must wrap around strongly how to entrance judicial independence.
Marape urged the stakeholders to look into the reform his government was doing with total support from administration of supreme and national courts.
“We’re elevating supreme courts mostly to deal with section 18 and section 19 references that this body here could advise us, it could deal with some of these appeals with the highest, we putting an appeals court in between National Court and Supreme Court and we allowing National Court to function on its own.”
“Strengthening of our district court, in our effort, is to make justice accessible to our people and we are also strengthening village courts.
“Most of the offences are summary law offences and it’s about time to put good suggestions that will help the country going forward.”
PM also made his personal commitment to making the Independent Commission Against Corruption fully functional.
“This forum must help us strengthen ICAC – not for officers to enrich themselves but to hold the powerful to account,” said Marape.
He added that the government is also embarking on providing an avenue for community responsibility and lawful living.
PM Marape therefore encouraged citizens to obey the law.
He also stressed on legislative modernization and digital transformation, and urged a modernization drive across the legislative framework, particularly in light of rapid digital transformation.
“We are living in an ICT driven world, our laws must reflect the times – embrace digital courts, biometric IDs, surveillance and modern penalties,” said Marape.