dispute

Headlines

Papua New Guinea

Sir Serei dies

A former Papua New Guinea governor-general, Sir Serei Eri, died at his Hohola home in Port Moresby on May 25. Sir Serei began his career as a teacher, then came to be known as one of PNG’s best known writers and also served as a diplomat. He was also a founding member of the People’s Action Party which led to his rise in politics and saw him as the governor-general in 1990. He resigned from the post a year later amid controversy also involving party leader Ted Diro. ***

Legal service

dispute

Government legal services in Papua New Guinea came to a halt as lawyers from the attorney-general’s department continued their indefinite strike which started on June 7 over the alleged illegal appointment of justice secretary, Luke Lucas. State law yers say the appointment of Lucas was illegal in that it went against public service regulations on retirements and age limits. ***

Prisoners

escape

Thirty prisoners and nine remandees escaped from Keravat Jail in Papua New Guinea’s East New Britain province and police and a senior Correctional Service officers have blamed it on negilgence on the art of Correctional Institue Services men who were on duty at the time. Police reports indicate the 39 men escaped one by one beginning on Friday, June 11 through three sets of cut fences, but the CIS men did not know about it until 5.00 pm Monday, June 14. The 30 were serving time for offences including murder, armed robbery, and rape with violence.