More attention will be given this year to disciplinary cases that are pending against legal practitioners.
Attorney General James Apaniai made the assurance yesterday at the opening of the 2016 legal year at the High Court.
He said one of the challenges that lies ahead is the delay in dealing with the many disciplinary cases that are pending against legal practitioners.
“It is ironic that I should be saying this, the Attorney General being the Chairman of the Disciplinary Committee.
“However, I must admit that during the last six months that I have been in the office, I have not made any attempt to find out what disciplinary cases there are and what stage they have reached – the reasons being that I was not given any briefing at all in regards to these disciplinary matters.
“I simply have no idea where I can find the files relating to the cases in the chaotic state of the AG’s Chambers due to the limited office space we have.
He said he intend to give more attention to these matters this year.
He called on those members of the Legal Profession who have been appointed to be members of the Disciplinary Committee to co-operate with him to finalise the long outstanding cases.
“My Champers is in the process of trying to acquire a better and bigger office space and, if we succeed, we should be able to temporarily allocate some space for a registry and a hearing chambers for such cases until permanent arrangements are made in regards thereto.
By ASSUMPTA BUCHANAN