Basil: Compensation setting a bad precedence

By MATTHEW VARI

Wednesday, November 20, 2013 (Midweek Chronicle, PNG)

DEPUTY Opposition Leader, Sam Basil called on the Prime Minister, who is also Police Minister, to take note of the common practice of settling criminal actions, such as murder and other horrendous acts with the payment of compensation.

He emphasized that preventing problems was vital, instead of attending to them after they have have occurred, as was not the case in most cases in the country.

His comments were in response to issues of ethnic conflicts in rural areas such as in the Bulolo and Obura Wonenara Districts, where people were paying compensation to maintain order at the expense of the community at large.

Basil said that the payment of compensation is a bad practice, and those practicing it should be found out, as to who is ordering or facilitating this new trend in the city and rural areas.

He said compensation should only be allowed by a Court of competent jurisdiction as part of an order.

"People are attacking, maiming (disfiguring), raping and killing people, and society is scared and at risk, while the perpetrators and relatives are taking short cuts by making compensation, which is even over the jurisdiction of village courts and the District Courts."

"We are creating a society where people with money or those with good customary support can commit crime or become nuisance in communities creating a system, which will enable criminals and miscreants to take advantage,” he said.