Two pivotal bills aimed at establishing a court system for Bougainville and forming the third arm of the Autonomous Bougainville Government were introduced in the House of Representatives yesterday. Since the Autonomous Bougainville Government (ABG) was formed in 2005, the region has only had a Legislature, the House of Representatives, and an Executive, the Bougainville Executive Council. The ABG has operated without its own independent Judiciary, the third arm of government.
The Bougainville Courts Bill 2024 and the Bougainville Community Courts Bill 2024, introduced by Attorney General and Minister for Justice and Independence Mission Implementation, Ezekiel Masatt, have undergone their first and second readings, receiving general support from the House.
These landmark bills will be debated in Parliament today before being put to a vote. If passed, the Bougainville Courts Bill will establish a system akin to the District Court system in mainland Papua New Guinea, while the Bougainville Community Courts Bill will create a system similar to the Village Court system.
The Bougainville Department of Justice, in collaboration with the National Law and Justice Sector and the National Coordinator Mechanism, has developed these laws under the ‘Shaping the Bougainville Justice Program’. The proposed laws have undergone years of consultation and review with local sectors and agencies since 2001, receiving approval from the State Solicitor’s Office.
These bills are also part of the process of transferring powers and functions from the National Government to the ABG under the ‘Sharp Agreement’. After the bills were tabled, the House of Representatives was suspended to allow Attorney General Masatt, his department, the Chief Secretary’s Office, and stakeholders from the National Magistracy Services, the PNG Land Commission, and other legal entities to workshop the laws with House Members.
The Bougainville Courts Bill and the Bougainville Community Courts Bill will be voted on today.
