19 Dec 2003

PNG teachers to take Morobe provincial government to court over leave entitlements

11:55 am on 19 December 2003

The Papua New Guinea Teachers Association says it will launch court action against the Morobe Provincial Government in the new year because of unpaid leave entitlements.

The Association's Mamose Regional Secretary, Arnold Komil, says over 700 teachers will be stranded in Lae over the Christmas period because they have not been given air tickets as is the usual procedure.

Mr Komil says 300-thousand US dollars should have been earmarked for teachers leave entitlements but the administration has been negligent.

He says it's sad so many teachers will be away from family at Christmas.

"It's a real disgrace and a shameful thing for the Morobe provincial government and the Education Department here. It's really embarrassing when all the other provinces have made money in excess of millions of kina to send teachers home for the holidays, but in Morobe it's a different story altogether."