Air Niugini wins court injunction against Matrix Construction

August 26, 2021

The public may have seen advertisements in newspapers by Matrix Constructions calling for a creditors’ meeting.

This followed moves by Air Niugini to progress the winding up of Matrix Constructions in the National Court due to their failure to pay Air Niugini outstanding costs.

Air Niugini was successful in legal proceedings in 2020, where the Arbitrator, Richard Chesterman QC made a legal order against Matrix Constructions of costs of K380,000, together with other orders.

Matrix failed to pay these costs and so an application was made to the National Court to have Matrix Constructions placed in liquidation. The dispute about the application for liquidation of Matrix Constructions will go back to the National Court for further hearings in early September.

Based on a belief that the notices were a breach of the Company?s Act, Air Niugini filed for and obtained a Court injunction against Matrix Constructions (PNG) Limited, and its delegate Mr. Peter Neville.

The effect of the Court Order is that Matrix Constructions and Mr. Neville are restrained from conducting any meeting outside the National Court about Air Niugini. This invalidates the advertisements placed by Matrix Constructions in the public notices section of the Post Courier newspaper last week, inviting creditors of Air Niugini to attend a meeting on Friday 27 August 2021.

The disputes stem from unfounded claims made concerning the construction of the Air Niugini residential apartment building at the Air Niugini head office at Jacksons International Airport.

Air Niugini is assessing its additional legal options relating to these advertisements having damaged Air Niugini?s reputation and also how the notice infringes on the existing court action.

The various actions relating to Matrix Constructions will not have any effect on Air Niugini’s continuing operations.

Corporate Communications Department
Thursday 26th August 2021