Keep people updated on the changes to laws, lawyers told

 AS the review of the Organic Law on Provincial and Local Level Governments takes place nationwide, lawyers are being asked to play their role in educating people at the district and ward levels.

Senior lawyer with the Department of Local Government engaged with the review team, Matalau Nakikus, made the request to his colleagues in East New Britain during the opening of the legal year last Friday.

“We are currently going to all provinces to talk about this law and gauge people’s view,” Nakikus said.

“The government has realised that this law is ineffective and service delivery is not reaching those in the ward and LLG levels.”

Nakikus said he was in New Ireland recently and LLGs expressed similar grief about service delivery not reaching them.

“Councillors are not working as they do not get paid and that is the sickness everywhere in PNG,” he said.

Nakikus wants lawyers and political leaders to know their responsibilities and to support the courts and ensure this support trickles down to the 

people at the ward and LLG levels where the effects of service delivery can be felt.

“We must be prepared for this review team and ask them questions.

“I believe our people need more guidance from us (lawyers) and we need to know our responsibilities to guide them so they can partner with law and justice and uphold laws from their level.”

Nakikus said the parliament would soon pass a law called District Development Authorities Act. 

“When enforced, lawyers please get yourselves a copy and let us understand it and then we can impart to people so they understand it too,” he said.