The National Court has provincial registries apart from the main registry based in Waigani- Port Moresby. These are established and operated in the main provincial head quarters. Not every province has a registry. The decision to establish a provincial registry and in which province is a decision made by the Chief Justice in consultation with the Judges. As at the date of writing this note, 5th November 2012, there are 10 provincial registries.
Registries
They are Kokopo and Kimbe, Kavieng in the islands region, Lae, Madang and Wewak in the Northern coastal part of the mainland and Mount Hagen , Wabag , Goroka, Kundiawa, Mendi in the highlands region, Port Moresby and Alotau in Southern region.
Sub-registries
Apart from the provincial registries we also have what we call as “sub-registries” which are very small set up in some provinces where we employ a skeleton staff to carry out some registry functions. There are 4 sub registries. These are : Lorengau, Vanimo, Kerama and Kainantu.
Decisions have been made to upgrade Tari, Popondetta and Buka to sub-registry status at the start of next year -2014.
Resident Judges
The provincial registries have resident Judges or Acting Judges in provincial capitals and they deal with cases on a daily basis for the circuit periods. The larger registries have more than one Judge and there is a maximum of three Judges in these larger registry locations. They are Mt Hagen, Lae Kokopo while Goroka , although a smaller registry has two resident Judges. Others have one Judge each.
The Staff
The registries have staff employed to carry out all functions of a registry and its support functions. They have registry officers, court room officers ( interpreters and court attendants) , judges private staff ( associates and private secretaries) , court reporting officers, sheriff officers ( enforce civil court orders), a Librarian and a administration officer to look after the funding provided to these locations periodically. These are apart from miscellaneous staff like cleaning, driving and security staff who also form part of the entire provincial establishment staff.
The provincial registries are headed by a Assistant Registrar who is the provincial manager for the establishment who works under the Judges. The required qualification of this officer is that he or she must be a qualified lawyer with a law degree and be admitted to practice as a lawyers by the Law Society of Papua New Guinea. All other staff apart from Judges private staff , report to this officer.
Each section officer from the province also reports to their specific divisional managers at Waigani in their area of speciality apart from reporting to the Assistant Registrar.
Assistant Registrar, as the most senior officer oversees the entire operations of the province and the staff report to him/her.
In some locations, we have other senior persons who not met the required qualifications acting in the position due to one reason or another. In the sub registries , the officers in-charge are not qualified lawyers.
Current Establishment Managers
The provincial Assistant Registrar’s and sub registry officers who can be contacted are as follows:
| Province | Location | Contact Person | Contact Numbers | |
| 1 | Morobe | Lae | Mr. Wapuri Langap |
Ph: 472 2177 Fax: 472 2936 |
|
2 |
Madang |
Madang |
Mr. Roy Bakarum |
Ph: 472 2544 / 422 3092 Fax: 472 2936 |
|
3 |
East Sepik |
Wewak |
Mr. Fabian Yehilomo |
Ph: 456 3058 / 456 3088 Fax: 456 2617 |
|
4 |
Sandaun |
Vanimo |
Ms. Ludmilla Uri |
Ph: 457 1073 Fax: 457 1073 |
| 5 | Western Highlands | Mt. Hagen | Mr. Rodney Mek | Ph: 542 2422 Fax: 542 3622 |
| 6 | Eastern Highlands | Goroka | Mr. Vincent Romba | Ph: 532 1755 / 532 1749 Fax: 4722936 |
| 7 | Simbu | Kundiawa | Mr. Philex Kints | Ph: 535 1577 Fax: 535 1683 |
|
8 |
Enga |
Wabag |
Mr. Peter Nend |
Ph: 547 1076 Fax: 547 1422 |
|
9 |
Southern Highlands |
Mendi |
Ms. Imelda Buru Makap |
Ph: 549 1485 Fax: 549 1908 |
| 10 | Hela | Tari | Mr. Benjamin Itaki | Ph: 540 8666 Fax: 540 6777 |
| 11 | East New Britain | Kokopo | Vacant | Ph: 982 8233 / 982 9626 Fax: 982 8467 |
| 12 | West New Britain | Kimbe | Mr. Didley Aheng | Ph: 983 5887 / 983 5888 Fax: 983 3500 |
|
13 |
New Ireland |
Kavieng |
Mr. Conallee Mamayong |
Ph: 984 1846 Fax: 984 1844 |
| 14 | AROB | Buka | Mr. Bakasawoula Mwatapa | Ph: 973 9211 Fax: 973 9211 |
| 15 | Manus | Lorengau | Mrs. Niachalau Posakei | Ph: 970 9753 Fax: 970 9753 |
| 16 | Milyne Bay | Alotau | Mr. Eric Kiso | Ph: 641 1870 / 641 1934 Fax: 641 1367 |
| 17 | Western | Daru | Mrs. Jenny Korei | Ph: 645 9911 Fax: 645 9997 |
| 18 | Oro | Popondetta | Ms. Christine Nagi | Ph:629 7328 Fax: 629 7834 |
| 19 | Gulf | Kerema | Mr. Roy Ravi | Ph: 648 1188 / 648 1328 Fax: 648 1272 |