Minister for Justice Siromi Turaga [Source: Parliament of the Republic of Fiji/Facebook]

The government has appointed another 84 Justices of the Peace in the last six months, bringing the total number of JPs across the country to 625.

Minister for Justice Siromi Turaga says this increase reflects the government’s ongoing commitment to ensuring equitable access to justice and upholding the integrity of the legal system.

Turaga warned that JPs are bound by a strict code of conduct that sets clear expectations of their behavior and responsibilities.

He says they are entrusted with a duty of care, particularly when handling the documents they witness or certify.

The Minister says this responsibility requires them to follow correct procedures at all times to prevent any potential harm.

He says, for instance, if a Justice of the Peace fails to properly witness the signing of a document and this oversight results in someone suffering a financial loss, the affected individual may have legal recourse against the JP.

Meanwhile, Turaga says another 76 applications have also been received, with 38 deemed completed and having been submitted for interview.

He adds that 28 applications are still pending due to missing support documents required for further processing.

He says one application was found to have an adverse criminal record spanning over 10 years, and the applicant has been advised to obtain a rehabilitation certificate.