Court orders PNG Government to complete refugee process in 2 weeks

The Waigani Supreme Court has given two weeks to lawyer representing the Department of Immigration and the lawyer representing the Residents at the Manus Asylum Processing Centre to work together in completing the first three steps of processing all the residents on the centre.

The first 3 steps include the screening process, refugee status assessment and quality assurance test for process.

Lawyer representing the Department of Immigration Laias Kandi requested that the court gives them 3 months to complete the processing of the residents; however Chief Justice Sir Salamoa Injia said the process would not take long as the initial processes have already been completed for most of the residents.

It is understood that out of the 389 residents, 242 have already gone through the first three initial processes and they are now awaiting ministerial declaration while 147 of the residents are yet to complete the first 3 stages of processing.

Sir Injia said the processing of the residents has dragged on too long and he ordered to see a report of what the court has asked for by the 15th of July when court resumes. PNGFM/PNG Today