BY SAMIE WAIKORI
Auki
COMMUNITIES within Dada’ame area in the northern region of Malaita have benefited from legal awareness program provided by the Public Solicitors Office (PSO) in Auki.
On Sunday, the PSO team visited Dada’ame and its surrounding communities of Manakafo, Anokwasi, Lobo, Rara, Sikwafata, New Village, Susule, One and Nao with the program.
Senior Legal Officer (PSO) in Auki, Oxley Limeniala said the awareness aims to help community members understand the function of the Public Solicitors Office.
“The awareness was to help people understand the services PSO provides for public, and what are some of the offences that commonly happen in communities and their penalties?
“When we talk about PSO, we are talking about office that was established under the constitution to provide legal services to disadvantage people,” he said.
Limeniala said communities must be provided with information on PSO so that they know and understand how to go about the service.
He said during the talk, the team explained to communities the legal services they offer like criminal, civil, families, land and how law can be used to protect people in those areas.
Limeniala said offenses continue to happen in the communities; however the fact that people didn’t understand processes to go about the offenses with PSO is a challenge.
“So the awareness is important to help people understand where to go about offenses when there are crimes committed in communities,” he said.
Limeniala said the awareness is an eye opener for the communities as expressed and they were happy to learn about the functions of PSO and services provide.
He said the communities showed eagerness to learn with scores of questions asked and they uttered clarity on how to go about the services.
Limeniala said the awareness program was also an opportunity for PSO Auki PDLP students or trainees to learn and engage with communities.
He said PSO Auki plans to conduct further awareness across the province.
