Three judges, with substantive appointments to the National and Supreme Court benches in the PNG Judiciary, along with the new acting Solicitor-General E’ava Geita were sworn into office today before the Governor-General Sir Bob Dadae at Government House in Port Moresby. The three judges – two females and one male - are from a group of five judges recently appointed by the Judicial and Legal Services Commission (JLSC). They are expatriate judges, Justices Karen Carmody and Stephen Patrick Coates who have a three-year term on the bench, and a national who was formerly a magistrate, and recently been an acting National and Supreme Court judge, Justice Laura Wawun-Kuvi. JLSC Chairman, Pila Niningi, who is also Minister for Justice, and the Attorney-General, witnessed the swearing-in ceremony, alongside Chief Justice Sir Gibbs Salika, Deputy Chief Justice Ambeng Kandakasi, several other senior judges, the Chief Magistrate, and other members of the legal fraternity. Minister Niningi, when congratulating the three judges and the senior State Law Officer, said the JLSC had recently appointed five judges when the JLSC met at Walume in Imbonggu of Southern Highlands. Minister Niningi is the local MP for Imbonggu, and Walume houses the district office, where a court facility was opened in the last two years. At today’s event, Minister Niningi thanked the JLSC for the appointments, and subsequent swearing-in that took place. “On behalf of the people of Papua New Guinea, I thank the members of the Judicial and Legal Services Commission, namely; Sir Gibbs Salika, Chief Justice of Papua New Guinea, Justice Kandakasi - Deputy Chief Justice of Papua New Guinea, Mr. Richard Pagen- Chief Ombudsman for the appointments and subsequent swearing-in of ix (6) important, qualified and experienced persons as Judges to the Bench and a senior lawyer as a State Law Officer, respectively.” “The five recently appointed Judges comprise four expatriate judges from the Australian Federal High Court and are appointed for a term of three years, and one national Judge appointed for a term of 10 years pursuant to the Organic Law on the Terms and Conditions of Employment of Judges and the National Court (Number of Judges, Amendment) Act 2023.” “Although there were 5 Judges appointed, only 3 Judges are sworn-in today.” “Additionally, Mr. E'ava Geita, a senior lawyer from the Department of Justice and Attorney-General, was also recently appointed due to a vacancy in the Office of the Solicitor-General and now sworn in as the Acting Solicitor-General pursuant to the Attorney-Genera/ Act 1979 (as amended) for such a period of time until a substantive appointment is made.” “The acting Solicitor-General is over-qualified and has served in various capacities, from litigation to administration and all other sectors.” “JLSC is satisfied with the appointment and congratulates the Acting Solicitor-General for taking up this position as the number one litigation officer and possesses the necessary qualification and experience.” “By virtue of my office, I would like to congratulate and thank all appointees for your availability to serve in the Judiciary and State Law Office, respectively.” “To commemorate the recent appointments made, it is fitting that all persons responsible for making these appointments are present today to witness the formalities of the official swearing-in ceremony.” “I also take this time to thank the Chief Justice and members of the Judiciary for their foresight in negotiating the process of appointment, considering that their judicial time is very valuable, for interested sought and Federal Courts Australian applicants from the recommendation to be considered for appointment of the 4 Judges.” “I would like to thank the Marape-Rosso Government for the confidence and support provided through funding and resourcing for the Judiciary, Magisterial Services and State Law Offices in the dispensation of justice.” “In doing so, it is deemed as an assurance to the people of Papua New Guinea that the three arms of Government are working together and are serious about your right to efficient access to justice and this is one such initiative.”