Papua New Guinea's opposition leader, Don Polye, has hit out against the government's plans to establish a new Court of Appeal, saying it will only exacerbate existing problems.
Mr Polye says PNG has a backlog of more than 20,000 cases in the courts, some as old as seven years, that are yet to be addressed.
Papua New Guinea Opposition Leader, Don Polye Photo: Supplied
He says the Court of Appeal is a duplication of the functions of the higher courts, and will suit the political convenience of those in power to buy time for them to remain in power.
Mr Polye says PNG needs a speedy handing down of decisions at both the National and the Supreme courts, and proposes that each of the regions has its own Supreme Court to deal with cases from each region.
He is also calling on the government to provide more money to hire, develop and train more judges in the Supreme Court and National Courts, as well as the magistrates at the district courts.
