Office needs lawyers

THE Public Solicitor’s Office needs more lawyers to deal with an increase in dispute cases while court circuits are cancelled and trial times for ordinary citizens continue to be extended, according to Public Solicitor Leslie Mamu.
He said the number of people who needed legal services was increasing daily but the number of solicitors remained stagnant over the years.
This, he said, meant those who were waiting for their trials, had to wait longer because judges and public solicitors were not attending to their cases.
“Public Solicitors Office is concern about improving the welfare of lawyers in terms of housing and package to attract them,” Mamu said.
“We need to amplify the welfare of our lawyers to deal with the increase in dispute cases in the country.”
Mamu said funding for the Public Solicitor’s Office was not adequate to provide services in time to people that resulted in court circuits cancelled.
“Funding for public solicitors is not adequate enough to enable us to operate as an office.”
He said they provided service to people throughout the country, including those who were impecunious (people with no money) and the ostracised. He said PNG was a society with increasing dispute cases.
“Everyone has a dispute, whether it’s family, business or criminal disputes,” Mamu said.
“There where no improvement in our funding, budget cooperation difficulty and manpower.
“That is why we are struggling to provide service to our people.
“How can we stretch limited resources on hand, it’s very hard.
“We did not receive the September warrant this year.
“That has resulted in court circuits cancelled.
“We are accountable to PNG in terms of submitting 2017, 2018 and 2019 annual reports.”
Mamu said the Public Solicitor’s Office had about 83 lawyers spread around the country.
He said they wanted an additional 40 lawyers to provide effective legal service.
“We will advertise the positions as soon as they are uploaded into the system; we are positioning lawyers throughout the country according to the legal aid application that had come in,” Mamu said.