From left: United Nations Special Rapporteur on Human Rights and Environment Mr David Boyd with His Excellency the President, Major-General (Ret'd) Jioji Konusi Konrote and Attorney-General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum at the conference.

Legal practitioners have been urged to speak out on issues of the day as their voices makes a difference to ordinary Fijians.

This was stressed by President Major General (Retired) Jaoji Konrote while opening the 20th Attorney General’s Conference in Sigatoka.

Konrote says it is also because the legal fraternity has been entrusted to protect the integrity of the legal system.

“In a time when fear-mongering and falsehoods can spread unchecked – both on social media and at the community level – your informed and measured voices on the issues of the day can make a real difference in how Fijians see the world. As of late, it is often been difficult to know who or what to trust; more than ever, we are seeing the most trustworthy source for information being word-of-mouth from a trusted friend or family member.”

His Excellency the President, Major-General (Ret’d) Jioji Konusi Konrote with Attorney-General Hon. Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum and his children at the 20th Attorney General’s Conference.

Konrote also stressed to the legal practitioners the importance of understanding that the law is for all Fijians.

This year’s conference is by far the largest gathering with more than 600 people attending.