Law students get legal training opportunity

TRANSPARENCY International PNG has given three law students from the University of PNG an opportunity to work under its legal internship programme.
The students include final-year students Hezron Wangi and Salome Bamler, Eroni Lili – into his third year – who will be working in the policy research and legal advocacy under advocacy and legal advice centre (ALAC).
According to a statement from Transparency International, (TIPNG) the programme aims to give students a broader understanding of issues of national concern through conducting interviews for witnesses and victims of corruption and giving them legal advice, doing media briefs and participating in TIPNG’s community outreach programmes.
The internship also equips the students with the knowledge and tools to fight corruption and contributes positively to their career development, the statement said.
It said students would be assisting citizens, who report cases of corruption to TIPNG’s free legal service, and assisting victims and witnesses of corruption and providing research in key policy areas of governance.
“This partnership between TIPNG and the UPNG School of Law is beneficial for both organisations and will broaden the understanding of students on issues of access to justice encountered by ordinary Papua New Guineans taking the courageous decision to oppose corruption,” TIPNG chairman Lawrence Stephens said.
He said the internship programme was a success with previous interns contributing to key advocacy decisions by TIPNG, and guiding corruption complainants on avenues to report corruption and stop impunity in the country.
The statement said this was the second intake and was expected to last 13 weeks weeks.
The students would begin their internship this week.
The ALAC is confidential and accessible by calling the toll-free hotline 180-6000 or walking in to the TIPNG Office at Lokua Avenue, Boroko, Port Moresby.