The State & 3 Others v Brian Josiah and 80 Others (2005) SC792

• Jurisdiction: Papua New Guinea
• Judge: Jalina J, Kirriwom J, Lenalia J
• Judgment Date: 01 March 2005
• Citation: (2005) SC792
• Docket Number: SCA No 129 of 2003
• Court: Supreme Court
• Year: 2005
• Judgement Number: SC792

Full Title: SCA No 129 of 2003; The State & 3 Others v Brian Josiah and 80 Others (2005) SC792

National Court: Jalina, Kirriwom & Lenalia, JJ

Judgment Delivered: 1 March 2005

SC792

PAPUA NEW GUINEA

SUPREME COURT OF JUSTICE

SCA NO. 129 OF 2003

THE STATE & 3 OTHERS

Appellants

- v -

BRIAN JOSIAH AND 80 OTHERS

Respondents

Waigani: Jalina, Kirriwom & Lenalia, JJ

2004: 28th September

2005: 1st March

Practice and Procedure – Judgment by default – Amount specified in Statement of Claim but amount to be awarded requiring assessment – whether claim is a liquidated claim.

Practice and Procedure – Judgment by default – Claim against the State - Amount specified in Statement of Claim but amount to be awarded requiring assessment – whether order for specified sum can be made against the State – Claims by and Against the State Act, s. 12 (3).

Cases cited

National Capital District Commission v Yama Security Services Pty Limited (SCA 24 of 2004)

Karl Paul v Awai Kispe (2001) N2085

Kante Miringa v The State & Ors (1996) N1458

Ludger Mond v Kerenga Ben Okoro & Ors [1992] PNGLR 501.

Dempsey –v- Project Pacific Pty. Ltd [1985] PNGLR 93

Counsel

F. Walelia for the Appellants

D. Dataona for the Respondents

1st March 2005

BY THE COURT: This is an appeal against an order of the National Court dated 17th October 2003 whereby default judgment was entered against the Appellants for K4,673,420.73 amongst other orders.

The Plaintiff and 81 others are serving members of the Papua New Guinea Defence Force (PNGDF) who are employed at the Air Transport in various capacities.

FACTS

For reasons that will become clearer later in this judgment, we reproduce the particulars of each Plaintiff and his claim as set out from pages 13 and 14 of the Appeal Book:

PARTICULARS

LSN SERVICE RANK NAME TYPE YEAR YEAR AMOUNT
NO OF
COURSE

ATTENDED ATTND COMPLTD CLAIMING

1 810181 L/CPL BRIAN AIRCRAFT 1992 1994 K73, 697.00
JOSIAH TECH

2 89392 LT LINUS INST FITT 1987 2000 K133,527.00
KREWANTY

3 87595 WO VAGUIA NAO INST FITT 1983 1985 K68, 046.69

HELI/TER CON 1991 1991 K2, 510.46

4 86831 WO2 GAIAM ENG FITER 1977 1977 K18, 241.04
MAGUN

5 86277 WO PERRY ENGINE FITT 1974 1974 K51, 093.53
MUNDI

6 86320 WO BEN MANOI ELECT FITT 1974 1976 K78, 542.51

7 86472 WO GODFERY AIRFRAME FITT 1984 1984 K63, 471.37
KUMBULI

8 86528 WO LEO MARIKIA AIRFRAME 1977 1979 K69, 924.46

9 870510 WO KAMA R ENGINE FITT 1977 1981 K69, 520.70
DAWA

10 86408 WO RAVERU AIRFRAME 1978 1979 K60, 945.54
JULLIAN FITTER

11 88501 WO KOMBE ENGINE FITT 1982 1983 K62, 001.20
PETER

12 87176 WO AKUILA ELECT FITT 1980 1982 K71, 291.62
TATI

13 87554 WO SERI PETER LOAD/MASTER 1992 1992 K29, 301.07

14 87105 WO AGUADI RADIO TECH 1984 1986 K105,398.11
CONRAD

15 89722 WO PEA FELIX ENGINE FITT 1979 1979 K95,382.00
MALAGAU

16 87981 SGT ALBERT SUPPLY 1992 1992 K10,236.73
DOPETA

17 88769 SGT JOHN ILAILO SUPPLY 1991 1991 K21,650.26

18 86660 SGT MATHEW AIRFRAME 1982 1983 K38,053.54
GIOWEN FITTER

19 86816 SGT ISMAEL AIRFRAME 1979 1979 K80,247.19
KOPOE FITTER

20 88221 SGT HIBUYA JOHN AIRFRAME FITT 1983 1984 K43,369.00

21 87002 SGT MUNDI AIRCRAFT ENG 1981 1982 K62,726.85
HENRY

22 87057 SGT MOALEY AIRCRAFT 1982 1984 K56,673.54
RODNEY ELECT

23 88497 SGT TOMANA AIRFRAME FITT K68,619.07
JAMES

24 88500 SGT AIRFRAME FITT

25 88350 SGT YASING FRANK ENGINE FITT 1985 1985 K57,274.31

26 89150 SGT SOWI CAMILUS AIRCRAFT INST 1986 1987 K57,350.99

27 86990 SGT YAKUMA JOHN AIRCRAFT 1980 1984 K118,587.89
ELECT

28 88745 SGT UTAH FRANCIS ENGINE FITT 1985 1985 K56,266.54

29 87340 SGT REUBEN AIRFRAME 1981 1982 K67,687.45
POSMAI FITTER

30 89424 CPL TAGAGAU AIRFRAME 1987 1988 K47,404.00
BALAGUAN FITTER

31 89671 CPL RONNY MIRO AIRFRAME 1993 1993 K62,974.97
FITTER

32 89691 CPL TONY KIMBULE ELECT FITT 1988 1989 K66,891.89

33 89513 CPL AMOS DAVID RADIO TECH 1987 1988 K52,888.79

34 89432 CPL SITION SURFACE 1994 1994 K21,890.98
LAPAMBANGS FINISHER

AIRFRAME 1987 1988 K45,807.90
FITTER

35 88091 CPL KAWIA MIKE AIRCRAFT ENG 1985 1985 K43,689.32

CASA 1991 1991 K8,786.61
CONVERT

36 89141 CPL TITUS YAGUR AIRCRAFT 1986 1987 K40,297.81
INST

HELI/TER 1991 1991
ELECT

HELI/TER CON 1998 1998 K2,791.99

37 89154 CPL TASMAN AIRCRAFT ENG 1986 1986 K42,942.08
DOTAONA

38 89155 CPL AO JOHN AIRCRAFT ENG 1986 1986 K42,942.08

39 89165 CPL AMETA VANO INST FITT 1986 1987 K57,350.99

40 89632 CPL ANUMA JOHN A/CRAFT ENG 1989 1990 K45,716.80

41 89462 L/CPL MOASING RADIO TECH 1987 1988 K51,792.65
HERTZY

HELI/TER 1991 1991 K4,521.58
ELECT

HELI/TER CON 1998 1998 K4,521.58

42 87073 CPL JOSEPH KAHU LOADMASTER 1983 1983 K5,770.13

43 89686 CPL MORRIS AIRFRAME 1988 1989 K50,728.86
YAUBIHI FITTER

44 89653 CPL STEWARD AIRFRAME 1988 1989 K48,353.99
KANDAWE FITTER

45 88538 L/CPL JOHN NERE AIRFRAME 1983 1984 K58,638.51
FITTER

46 88666 L/CPL JOE VATATA AIRFRAME 1987 1987 K80,314.96
FITTER

47 89508 L/CPL MARAI FRED RADIO TECH 1987 1988 K49,955.95

48 89027 L/CPL ARUGANI AIRFRAME FITT 1989 1990 K80,803.76
JEFFREY

49 89077 L/CPL RAPHAEL ELECT FITT 1988 1989 K62,682.54
WAKIAWA

50 89279 L/CPL SINGAS JOHN ENGINE FITT 1989 1990 K75,710.20

51 89361 L/CPL ELLION BILL A/ELECT 1989 1990 K53,199.10

52 89822 L/CPL JOE KORU ENGINE FITT 1989 1990 K45,576.29

53 89873 L/CPL MARK FRED AIRFRAME FITT 1989 1990 K53,116.00

54 89886 L/CPL BINA BINATO INST FITT 1989 1990 K56,616.49

55 89229 L/CPL NAIME AIRFRAME FITT 1987 1987
ROBERT

STRUCTURAL 1994 1994 K57,794.32
FITT

56 89992 L/CPL LEO AKA AIRFRAME FITT 1990 1991 K55,240.98

57 810171 L/CPL KILA VAINA AIRCRAFT 1992 1992 K73,697.00
TECH

58 810107 L/CPL ORIM AVIONICS TECH 1992 1994 K62,502.76
SAMUEL

59 89512 L/CPL REX KAKOLO ENGINE FITT 1988 1989 K60,489.25

60 811592 L/CPL ELIZAH HELICOPTER 1993 1993 K25,088.00
SELAN L/M

61 810006 L/CPL KAPORE AIRFRME FITT 1990 1991 K55,240.98
LUCAS

62 810032 L/CPL TURIKANA A/CRAFT ELECT 1990 1991 K40,297.81
RAYMON

63 810176 L/CPL TOWE DAVID AIRCRAFTTECH 1992 1994 K73,697.00

64 810122 L/CPL KANAU AVIONIC TECH 1992 1994 K43,834.34
WILLIE

65 L/CPL PAWE AVIONIC TECH 1992 K62,365.12
ANDREW

66 89288 L/CPL AVIONIC TECH 1992 K25,088.00

67 811185 L/CPL RIMA HELI L/M 1993 1993 K25,088.00
ANDREW

68 89875 L/CPL KUNAT GAI HELI L/M 1993 1993 K25,088.00

69 811591 L/CPL LINUS HELI L/M 1993 1993 K25,088.00
RAYMOND

70 89865 L/CPL PATRICK AVIONIC TECH 1993 1994 K63,126.98
ALEX

71 810170 L/CPL SCHIWY AVIONIC TECH 1993 1994 K63,126.98
SCHADRICK

72 810027 L/CPL NASO AVIONIC TECH 1993 1994 K63,126.98
MATHIAS

73 810140 L/CPL ILU ROBERT AIRCRAFT 1994 1996 K82,316.67
TECH

74 810173 L/CPL GEORGE AVIONICS 1992 1994 K63,021.40
LECKSON

75 89562 L/CPL VANINARA HELI L/M 1996 1996 K22,579.22
PADIK

76 89958 L/CPL KUMBU JOHN AIR FRAME 1990 1991 K57,717.66

77 89949 L/CPL TUVUI A/CRAFT ELECT 1990 1991 K40,297.81
DOUGLAS

78 811469 L/CPL ROGER AVIONIC TECH 1993 1994 K63,126.98
ILALAK

79 89698 L/CPL ABUN TAGI RADIO TECH 1990 1990 K77,129.02

80 810022 L/CPL GRAI ALOIS AIRFRAME FITT 1990 1991 K54,638.73

81 810032 PTE ESPIE EIGEN AIRFRAME 1990 1991 K55,240.98
FITTER

They claimed the following reliefs:

A The sum of K4,673,420.73.

B Interest pursuant to the Judicial Proceedings (Interest on Debts and Damages) Act.

C Alternatively, a Declaration that the Plaintiffs are individually and severally entitled to incidental allowances due for the period they attended overseas training.

D Orders compelling the Defendants to take the necessary steps forthwith; including but not limited to:

a calculating of the incidental allowances for each individual Plaintiff;

b securing relevant administrative approvals or certification; and

c payment of the amounts of money certified to be payable to the Plaintiff in relation to the incidental allowances.

E Alternatively, an Order compelling the relevant Minister to convene a Board of Inquiry under the Defence Act 1974 to investigate and report on the payment of incidental allowances to various members in the PNGDF.

F Costs of and incidental to these proceedings generally.

G Such further and other relief as this Honourable Court deem just.

As stated in paragraphs 17 – 22 of the Statement of Claim, the Respondents instituted the proceedings in the National Court following the continued refusal or lack of response from the Appellants. In paragraph 21 in particular, the Respondents allege that on 30th April 2003 they gave notice to the Solicitor General of their intention to make a...