Office of Solicitor General lacks competency
The Solicitor-General's Office is said to be plagued with incompetency.
Principal of Alfred Manaseh and Company Lawyers highlighted this,
before the Commission of Inquiry into processes and procedures of briefing out cases and payment of public monies to law firms, in Port Moresby, yesterday.
Mr. Manaseh told the Inquiry, there's no set procedure of dealing with legal bills from private law firms, lodged with the Office.
This, despite recommendations to improve the situation, that he helped make as an investigator, with the Department of Justice and Attorney-General Inquiry, led by Sir Arnold Amet.
The Amet Inquiry had recommended among others, that issues concerning the Constitution, Judicial Reviews, lack of legal expertise by law firms and issues where the Attorney General could be in a conflict of interest, must be properly addressed between the Department of Justice and Attorney General and the Solicitor General's Office.
Mr. Manase said, with the current process, the Attorney General has full discretion to brief out State cases, either to a friend, a legal colleague, or just about anybody to their choosing.
He said this may lead to expertise and skill to successfully secure cases being overlooked.
He also said consultation between the Attorney General and the Solicitor General is important, where advise can be reached on which cases to brief out and those that can be taken care of by the Department competently.
Principal of Alfred Manaseh and Company Lawyers highlighted this,
before the Commission of Inquiry into processes and procedures of briefing out cases and payment of public monies to law firms, in Port Moresby, yesterday.
Mr. Manaseh told the Inquiry, there's no set procedure of dealing with legal bills from private law firms, lodged with the Office.
This, despite recommendations to improve the situation, that he helped make as an investigator, with the Department of Justice and Attorney-General Inquiry, led by Sir Arnold Amet.
The Amet Inquiry had recommended among others, that issues concerning the Constitution, Judicial Reviews, lack of legal expertise by law firms and issues where the Attorney General could be in a conflict of interest, must be properly addressed between the Department of Justice and Attorney General and the Solicitor General's Office.
Mr. Manase said, with the current process, the Attorney General has full discretion to brief out State cases, either to a friend, a legal colleague, or just about anybody to their choosing.
He said this may lead to expertise and skill to successfully secure cases being overlooked.
He also said consultation between the Attorney General and the Solicitor General is important, where advise can be reached on which cases to brief out and those that can be taken care of by the Department competently.
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