Bench warrant sought for arrest of doctors

By JACOB POK
AN application for a bench warrant to arrest the doctors on strike is expected to be made at the Waigani National Court this morning, The National reports.
The National Doctors Association and its members have been cited for continuously failing to comply with last Friday’s court orders restraining them from going on strike.
The court will, today, also hear submissions on contempt proceedings against the doctors for defying the court order.
Justice Catherine Davani yesterday upheld last Friday’s restraining orders pending the hearing of the substantive matter.
She issued the orders while dismissing the doctors’ motion to set aside the restraining order.
Davani also noted that the doctors’ claims where not related to the previous agreements but were new, ambiguous and unregistered.
She said the NDA, being professional men and women, had circumvented the law and established processes to achieve their goals.
“That is a dangerous trend and one that can lead this nation to anarchy as other unions and citizens of this country are observing with interest.
“This court will not condone the NDA’s claims and condemn it in the strongest possible terms,” Davani said.
“The processes in relation to the resolving of industrial claims are available to the citizens of this country and must be utilised.
“There are no short cuts.
“Parties should not resort to strike action at their whim. Rules and processes must be followed.
“In this case, we have professionals, being doctors, who are uncompromising and will not allow due processto take its course. That, again, should not be allowed to happen,” Davani said yesterday.
She earlier warned NDA executives to refrain from “flaunting” their issues in the media, while they continued to go on strike and described their actions as “fervently breached of the court order”.