Independent Legal Services Commission for Fiji

Complaints against lawyers in Fiji will now be dealt with independently and fairly instead of being assessed by their own peers as was the previous practice, says the country’s top legal adviser Aiyaz-Sayed Khaiyum

Fiji’s top legal adviser Aiyaz-Sayed Khaiyum said in late January this year that complaints against lawyers in Fiji will now be dealt with independently and fairly instead of being assessed by their own peers as was the previous practice. Mr Sayed-Khaiyum was referring to the Independent Legal Services Commission which he officially opened in Suva the day before. The Commission has been operational for several months, hearing disciplinary cases against lawyers.

The Decree (Legal Practitioner’s Decree 2009) was followed from New South Wales and Queensland to set up the Commission. “So there’s nothing new about it”, Sayed-Khaiyum said. “It’s simply the question of having the political will and putting our heads together to see whether it can work in Fiji.” Such a system he said will also create a sense of empowerment for citizens pointing to recent complaints against lawyers of trivial matters such as lawyers being rude to clients to abuse of trust fund accounts.

Commissioner and former High Court Judge John Connors told FijiLive the use of new technology such as video facilities was a timely boost for them and would improve their service. Justice Connors said he hoped the technology would be used in other government departments like Fiji’s courts for the sake of transparency and efficiency.

 Source: Islands Business 29 January 2010