Eddie Tarsie for himself and in his capacity as Ward Councillor of Ward 3, Saidor Local-Level Government and Farina Siga, for himself and in his capacity as Ward Secretary Of Ward 3, Saidor Local-Level Government and Peter Sel v Ramu Nico Management (MCC) Limited and Mineral Resources Authority and Dr Wari Iamo in his capacity as Director of Environment and Department of Environment and Conservation and The Independent State of Papua New Guinea (2010) N4142
Jurisdiction | Papua New Guinea |
Judge | Cannings J |
Judgment Date | 24 September 2010 |
Court | National Court |
Citation | (2010) N4142 |
Docket Number | WS NO 202 OF 2010 |
Year | 2010 |
Judgement Number | N4142 |
Full Title: WS NO 202 OF 2010; Eddie Tarsie for himself and in his capacity as Ward Councillor of Ward 3, Saidor Local-Level Government and Farina Siga, for himself and in his capacity as Ward Secretary Of Ward 3, Saidor Local-Level Government and Peter Sel v Ramu Nico Management (MCC) Limited and Mineral Resources Authority and Dr Wari Iamo in his capacity as Director of Environment and Department of Environment and Conservation and The Independent State of Papua New Guinea (2010) N4142
National Court: Cannings J
Judgment Delivered: 24 September 2010
N4142
PAPUA NEW GUINEA
[IN THE NATIONAL COURT OF JUSTICE]
WS NO 202 OF 2010
EDDIE TARSIE FOR HIMSELF AND IN HIS CAPACITY AS
WARD COUNCILLOR OF WARD 3,
SAIDOR LOCAL-LEVEL GOVERNMENT
First Plaintiff
FARINA SIGA, FOR HIMSELF AND IN HIS CAPACITY AS
WARD SECRETARY OF WARD 3,
SAIDOR LOCAL-LEVEL GOVERNMENT
Second Plaintiff
PETER SEL
Third Plaintiff
V
RAMU NICO MANAGEMENT (MCC) LIMITED
First Defendant
MINERAL RESOURCES AUTHORITY
Second Defendant
DR WARI IAMO IN HIS CAPACITY AS
DIRECTOR OF ENVIRONMENT
Third Defendant
DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT AND CONSERVATION
Fourth Defendant
THE INDEPENDENT STATE OF PAPUA NEW GUINEA
Fifth Defendant
Madang: Cannings J
2010: 23, 24 September
PRACTICE AND PROCEDURE – application by plaintiffs for leave to discontinue proceedings – National Court Rules, Order 8, Rule 61.
The plaintiffs, who commenced proceedings six months previously, applied to the court under the National Court Rules, Order 8, Rule 61 for leave to discontinue the whole of their claim for relief. The defendants consented to the application and did not seek costs.
Held:
(1) If a plaintiff wishes to discontinue proceedings and their application for leave to do so is made with the consent of all defendants, leave should generally be granted, it being in the interests of justice to encourage parties to reach an out-of-court settlement of their disputes.
(2) To refuse leave to discontinue would constitute a restriction on a plaintiff’s right to freedom based on law under Section 32 of the Constitution and the right to the full protection of the law under Section 37(1) of the Constitution; and such a restriction ought only be imposed in extreme circumstances.
(3) Leave was granted on terms that a notice of discontinuance be filed by each of the plaintiffs within three days and that the parties bear their own costs of the entire proceedings.
Cases cited
The following case is cited in the judgment:
Eton Pakui v The State (2006) N3001
Counsel
D Steven, for the plaintiffs
C Scerri QC, G Gileng & C Posman, for the first defendant
A Mana, for the second defendant
I M Molloy & T Tanuvasa, for the third, fourth & fifth defendants
24th September, 2010
1. CANNINGS J: This is a ruling on an application by the plaintiffs for leave to discontinue the proceedings, WS No 202 of 2010, which they commenced in March this year. They filed the application on 21 September 2010, which was the day set for the start of the trial.
2. Their application is based on Order 8, Rule 61(1)(c) (discontinuance) of the National Court Rules, which states:
A party making a claim for relief may discontinue proceedings so far as concerns the whole or any part of any claim for relief by him … at any time—with the leave of the Court.
3. All defendants consent to the application and do not seek costs against the plaintiffs.
4. This is a very late application and the court has been greatly inconvenienced by it. Eight sitting days were set aside for the trial. Other important cases have been pushed aside to make way for this case. A considerable amount of court time has been devoted to preparing for the trial. Be that as it may, there are two factors that work strongly in favour of granting the application.
5. First, if a plaintiff wishes to discontinue proceedings and their application for leave to do so is made with the consent of all defendants, leave should generally be granted, as it is in the public interest and it is in the interests of justice, to encourage parties to reach an out-of-court settlement of their disputes.
6. Secondly, to refuse leave to a plaintiff to discontinue would constitute a restriction on his right to freedom based on law under Section 32 of the Constitution and the right to the full protection of the law under Section 37(1) of the Constitution; and such a restriction ought only be imposed in extreme circumstances (Eton Pakui v The State (2006) N3001).
7. The present circumstances are unusual, special, exceptional and, to a degree, suspicious (what really has led to the plaintiffs sacking their lawyers on the eve of the trial and seeking leave to discontinue on the day of the trial – have they been intimidated? threatened? paid off? – these being the sorts of questions reasonable people will legitimately ask) but they are not sufficiently extreme to warrant the court forcing the plaintiffs to continue their case. I do not see any sufficient reason to refuse leave, so the application will be granted.
8. As for the terms on which leave should be granted I am tempted to impose...
To continue reading
Request your trial-
Louis Medaingon his own behalf and on behalf of the Medaing families of the Tong Clan and the Sawang Families that make up the Ongeg Clan and the further 272 persons listed in schedule 1 of the writ of summons and Terry Kunning on his own behalf and on behalf of the further 152 persons listed in Schedule 2 of the Writ Of Summons and Martin D Yagau and Paul Kamang on his own behalf and on behalf of the further 17 persons listed in Schedule 3 of the Writ Of Summons and Bill Koi and Tamlong Tab on his own behalf and on behalf of the further 191 persons listed in Schedule 4 of the Writ Of Summons and Kamanang Namur on his own behalf and on behalf of the further 20 persons listed in Schedule 5 of the Writ Of Summons and Simon Sil and James Sungai on his own behalf and on behalf of the further 323 persons listed in Schedule 6 of the Writ Of Summons and Casper Angua on his own behalf and on behalf of the further 23 persons listed in Schedule 7 of the Writ Of Summons v Ramu Nico Management (MCC) Limited and the Indep
...Ramu Nico Management (MCC) Ltd (2010) N4097; Tarsie v Ramu Nico Management (MCC) Ltd (2010) N4141; Tarsie v Ramu Nico Management (MCC) Ltd (2010) N4142; The Independent State of Papua New Guinea v Lohia Sisia [1987] PNGLR 102 Abbreviations The following abbreviations appear in the judgment:......
-
Francis Kunai v PNG Forest Authority
...(2001) SC677 Papua New Guinea Forest Authority v. Concord Pacific Ltd (No 2) (2003) N2465 Eddie Tarsie v. Ramu Nico Management (MCC) Ltd (2010) N4142 PNG Ports Corporation Ltd v. Canopus No 71 Ltd (2010) N4288 Stephen John Rose v. The State (2007) N3241 Waim No 85 Ltd v. The State (2015) SC......
-
Louis Medaing on his own behalf and on behalf of the Medaing Families of the Tong Clan: Being Nujar Masa, Sebmam Manina, Ilogo Medaing, Gamao Medaing, Josale Medaing, Helmish Medaing, Junis Medaing, Rachel Medaing, Constin Sebmam, Kogo Masa, Baragen Masa, Louis Medaing (Junior), Semmy Sowo, Joyce Medaing, Mathilda Ihaga, Buda Damise, Henry Jacob And Charles Baguga and the Sawang Families that make up the Ongeg Clan: Being Baguga Sawang, Iddu Sawang, Gimal Baguga, George Baguga, Weba Sawang, Kumbonga Baruk, Jimmy Willy, Junior Baruk, Mangan Iddu, Gigibe Weba, James Willy, Sadu Murungai, Peter Anitango, Baruk Anitango, Johanes Anitango, Ninge William, Monika William, Jane Gumong, Samuel M Made and Bou Jakobus v Ramu Nico Management (MCC) Limited (2010) N4127
...(MCC) Ltd (2010) N4005 Tarsie v Ramu Nico (MCC) Ltd (2010) N4097 Tarsie v Ramu Nico (MCC) Ltd (2010) N4141 Tarsie v Ramu Nico (MCC) Ltd (2010) N4142 22 October, 2010 1. CANNINGS J: This is a ruling on an application by the plaintiff, Louis Medaing, for an interim injunction. 2. The plaintif......
-
Louis Medaingon his own behalf and on behalf of the Medaing families of the Tong Clan and the Sawang Families that make up the Ongeg Clan and the further 272 persons listed in schedule 1 of the writ of summons and Terry Kunning on his own behalf and on behalf of the further 152 persons listed in Schedule 2 of the Writ Of Summons and Martin D Yagau and Paul Kamang on his own behalf and on behalf of the further 17 persons listed in Schedule 3 of the Writ Of Summons and Bill Koi and Tamlong Tab on his own behalf and on behalf of the further 191 persons listed in Schedule 4 of the Writ Of Summons and Kamanang Namur on his own behalf and on behalf of the further 20 persons listed in Schedule 5 of the Writ Of Summons and Simon Sil and James Sungai on his own behalf and on behalf of the further 323 persons listed in Schedule 6 of the Writ Of Summons and Casper Angua on his own behalf and on behalf of the further 23 persons listed in Schedule 7 of the Writ Of Summons v Ramu Nico Management (MCC) Limited and the Indep
...Ramu Nico Management (MCC) Ltd (2010) N4097; Tarsie v Ramu Nico Management (MCC) Ltd (2010) N4141; Tarsie v Ramu Nico Management (MCC) Ltd (2010) N4142; The Independent State of Papua New Guinea v Lohia Sisia [1987] PNGLR 102 Abbreviations The following abbreviations appear in the judgment:......
-
Francis Kunai v PNG Forest Authority
...(2001) SC677 Papua New Guinea Forest Authority v. Concord Pacific Ltd (No 2) (2003) N2465 Eddie Tarsie v. Ramu Nico Management (MCC) Ltd (2010) N4142 PNG Ports Corporation Ltd v. Canopus No 71 Ltd (2010) N4288 Stephen John Rose v. The State (2007) N3241 Waim No 85 Ltd v. The State (2015) SC......
-
Louis Medaing on his own behalf and on behalf of the Medaing Families of the Tong Clan: Being Nujar Masa, Sebmam Manina, Ilogo Medaing, Gamao Medaing, Josale Medaing, Helmish Medaing, Junis Medaing, Rachel Medaing, Constin Sebmam, Kogo Masa, Baragen Masa, Louis Medaing (Junior), Semmy Sowo, Joyce Medaing, Mathilda Ihaga, Buda Damise, Henry Jacob And Charles Baguga and the Sawang Families that make up the Ongeg Clan: Being Baguga Sawang, Iddu Sawang, Gimal Baguga, George Baguga, Weba Sawang, Kumbonga Baruk, Jimmy Willy, Junior Baruk, Mangan Iddu, Gigibe Weba, James Willy, Sadu Murungai, Peter Anitango, Baruk Anitango, Johanes Anitango, Ninge William, Monika William, Jane Gumong, Samuel M Made and Bou Jakobus v Ramu Nico Management (MCC) Limited (2010) N4127
...(MCC) Ltd (2010) N4005 Tarsie v Ramu Nico (MCC) Ltd (2010) N4097 Tarsie v Ramu Nico (MCC) Ltd (2010) N4141 Tarsie v Ramu Nico (MCC) Ltd (2010) N4142 22 October, 2010 1. CANNINGS J: This is a ruling on an application by the plaintiff, Louis Medaing, for an interim injunction. 2. The plaintif......