Justice must be inclusive – Geingob
President Geingob has called on lawyers to more pro bono work in order to make legal services accessible to more people.
JEMIMA BEUKES
WINDHOEK
The lack of access to legal services and courts for many Namibians is an indictment of the collective conscience of the Namibian government, President Hage Geingob said yesterday.
Geingob addressed the official opening of the legal year.
He urged lawyers to take on more pro bono cases through outreach programmes in the country’s most remote areas where the need for legal service remains the greatest.
“I know there is a programme through the Law Society, but we need to do more. Currently, government, through its funded legal aid programme, is doing its part, but clearly this is not enough and the review of this legislation is an opportunity for us to hold hands for the benefit of our people,” he said.
The president reiterated that transparency and accountability are prerequisites for guaranteeing trust in our institutions, and, therefore, the office of the judiciary continues to bring the work of the three organs of state ever closer to the people.
“Let us be grateful that here in Namibia, we live in a stable democracy. A democracy in which the people can aspire to improve their livelihoods and hope for a better tomorrow. Let us, therefore, cherish this nation and ensure that the independence of our judiciary is maintained, that rule of law is upheld and that the pursuit of prosperity remains unhindered,” he said.
Covid vs the courts
Meanwhile, Chief Justice Peter Shivute said while Covid-19 has exerted much pressure on the judiciary system, courts remained functional.
He said the Supreme Court achieved an 86.5% delivery rate of reserved judgments in 2020.
“Alive to the impact of the Covid-19 virus on the Supreme Court’s operations, we are in the process of amending the rules of court in order to bring them in line with the changing times and to formalise the ad hoc arrangements made in 2020,” he said.
According to him, 1 094 civil cases were referred to court-connected mediation in the two divisions of the High Court, resulting in 621 out-of-court settlements.
“An average of two to four trials per week had to be postponed due to state of emergency related reasons, most of which included foreign witnesses and/or counsel or witnesses and/or counsel from restricted districts,” Shivute said.
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WINDHOEK
The lack of access to legal services and courts for many Namibians is an indictment of the collective conscience of the Namibian government, President Hage Geingob said yesterday.
Geingob addressed the official opening of the legal year.
He urged lawyers to take on more pro bono cases through outreach programmes in the country’s most remote areas where the need for legal service remains the greatest.
“I know there is a programme through the Law Society, but we need to do more. Currently, government, through its funded legal aid programme, is doing its part, but clearly this is not enough and the review of this legislation is an opportunity for us to hold hands for the benefit of our people,” he said.
The president reiterated that transparency and accountability are prerequisites for guaranteeing trust in our institutions, and, therefore, the office of the judiciary continues to bring the work of the three organs of state ever closer to the people.
“Let us be grateful that here in Namibia, we live in a stable democracy. A democracy in which the people can aspire to improve their livelihoods and hope for a better tomorrow. Let us, therefore, cherish this nation and ensure that the independence of our judiciary is maintained, that rule of law is upheld and that the pursuit of prosperity remains unhindered,” he said.
Covid vs the courts
Meanwhile, Chief Justice Peter Shivute said while Covid-19 has exerted much pressure on the judiciary system, courts remained functional.
He said the Supreme Court achieved an 86.5% delivery rate of reserved judgments in 2020.
“Alive to the impact of the Covid-19 virus on the Supreme Court’s operations, we are in the process of amending the rules of court in order to bring them in line with the changing times and to formalise the ad hoc arrangements made in 2020,” he said.
According to him, 1 094 civil cases were referred to court-connected mediation in the two divisions of the High Court, resulting in 621 out-of-court settlements.
“An average of two to four trials per week had to be postponed due to state of emergency related reasons, most of which included foreign witnesses and/or counsel or witnesses and/or counsel from restricted districts,” Shivute said.
- [email protected]
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