Shahin Ali

The Legal Aid Commission has admitted it cannot meet everyone’s expectation, but tries its best to assist all Fijians.

Acting Director, Shahin Ali regards this as a challenge and is also urging the public to understand how important their job is.

Ali says though the department is regarded to as central in providing access to justice, but they also provide advice on other matters.

“What we do have at the moment is that let’s say if a person comes in and does not have a legal problem. So what we do is, we try and help the person through a particular government department or agency or institution. We say look this person needs a pension so we will write to the Ministry of Social Welfare to try and assist that person using our letter head.”

Meanwhile during a recent Legal Aid Corporate Workshop in Nadi Attorney General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum says many at times, Fijians only seek legal aid assistance because it’s their only hope.

Sometimes of course what they want or would like to get done is completely out of the scope of the organization, out of the scope of your mandate. But you must still give them that particular level of attention and an avenue perhaps they can address that matter

Legal Aid Commission Acting Director Ali says his officers need to realize the mandate that is to be followed.