From Left: Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama, Attorney General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum and Lands Minister Ashneel Sudhakar

The Legal Practitioners Unit under the Judiciary has been receiving reports against lawyers who continue to breach the integrity of Fiji’s Justice System.

Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama says this unethical practice hinders public confidence to access legal services at various independent institutions across the country.

Bainimarama says despite the challenge, Fijians can be rest assured that the government will continue to prioritize its resources to ensure everyone has access to quality justice services.

“Through the independent Legal Services Commission, the government ensures the dispensation of quality legal service by Practitioners and promotes law and order by protecting the public from unscrupulous actions by legal officers who do not have their best interest at heart”.

Attorney-General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum says public support is needed to track down this unethical activity.

“We have to know Mr Speaker Sir that still have a lot of recusant lawyers who are not doing the right thing as he highlighted himself. And we would take this opportunity to urge members of the public please do not hesitate to lodge a complaint with the Legal Practitioners Unit”.

Lands Minister Ashneel Sudhakar informed parliament that relevant laws which have been brushed aside over the past years need to be reviewed and implemented.

“What I’ve noticed in the past few years that a lot of Orders have been brought back. What used to escape or should be shoved under the carpet have now come out. A lot practitioners have been prosecuted even some of the members of the Opposition Party who are also Practitioners have felt the full brunt of the Commission”.

As a way forward, the government has also pledged to support the Legal Education Programmes for Law Practitioners and the recruitment of aspiring legal minds for the internship.