PNG Lawyers’ training institute to relocate

THE Papua New Guinea Legal Training Institute (LTI), the only lawyer training school in the country, is to be relocated at an estimated cost of K900 million.

It will be relocated to a 10sqkm of land given to it by the University of PNG between the National Research Institute (NRI) and the international village of the university’s main campus.

The first stage, including the feasibility study and master plan of the location, has already been completed at a cost of K800,000 and second phase is the actual construction of the school. 

LTI director Pauline Mogish, when presenting the last payment of the feasibility study and master plan to contractor Melamaju Ltd director VS Vairavan and receiving the study and master plan report yesterday, said it was a dream coming true as it was a milestone for the law profession. 

 “It’s a milestone. LTI has never had a permanent place, it was located to two other locations before where we are now and where we will be moving now should be the fourth location and final one,” she said.

Mogish said since she became the director of the institution in 2001, she has been writing to and negotiating with government agencies.

“In 2008, we got a positive response from government so we started discussions with government agencies and authorities to secure land when the university, through its council, agreed to give us the land where feasibility study and master plan were done,” she said.

Mogish said the Government had allocated K5 million in 2013 and K10 million this year.

LTI project manager Chris Kaenk said the new school building would include trainee accommodation, lecture rooms, conference rooms, administration offices and offices that were relevant for the school’s operation.

Mogish thanked the Government, the Australian government, law and justice sector and other partners in the project.