Legal Aid Fiji office

The Legal Aid Commission believes that a heavy workload degrades the calibre and efficacy of the work they provide.

Acting Director of the Legal Aid Commission Seremaia Waqainabete, highlights that the Commission has received 18,000 applications since August last year.

He says that some Legal Aid Lawyers are handling more than 400 files, with the highest dealing with 456 files.

“Looking at the workload, and of course, considering the effectiveness of our work and the quality of our work, we are inefficient in terms of service delivery.”

Acting Director of the Legal Aid Commission Seremaia Waqainabete

Waqainabete asserts that when considering the scope and effectiveness of the legal work they perform, the workload and labour force do not correspond.

He says the Commission has already requested a budget increase that will enable them to complete their work more effectively.