The Ministry of Justice intends to set up district legal clinics in all 13 districts so the community can visit and learn more about the laws of the country.
“The legal clinic is a place where anyone wanting to know more about our laws can go and read them,” said Minister Soares,atthe National Parliament, in Dili.
He said the government currently only spends two days in the districts informing communities about the laws of the country and this is not enough.
“They can just go to the clinic to get clarification about any of the laws, rather than having to come to Dili. It is too far,” he said.
He said his Ministry will staff the legal clinics with legal technicians and also Law students so they can explain the laws to the community.
Minister Soares said his Ministry will source funds for this initiative from donors.
“We will get funds, especially funds from overseas or from the international donors,” said the Minister Justice.
Meanwhile, the President of Commission A (for Constitutional, Justice, Public Administration, Local Authority, and Anti-Corruption Affairs) MP Carmelita Caetano Moniz said this is a very good initiative and she is happy to support it because many people in the community want to know more about the laws in place in Timor-Leste.
“This is a good initiative and I hope with these legal clinics, communities will be able to develop a better understanding of the laws in place.”
