Jul 09 - GSD Calls For Fairer Legal Aid System
The GSD has said that the Government's statement on legal aid yesterday by Minister Licudi is “typical of their approach to all matters inconvenient to them” adding that “attack for them seems to be the best form of defence.” The Opposition believes that, in doing so, the Government is stifling political debate on important issues such as this one.
A statement from the party goes on to argue that the Government “once again resorts to insults” in an attempt to divert attention from the central issue which is, it claims, that had the GSD been re-elected, legal aid reform would have, by now, “been completed” and it would have been “much fairer” than the reforms introduced by this Government which have, according to the party, only favoured a handful of defendants so far. The party raises the point that that case “has cost the taxpayer millions” whilst many single mothers struggle to meet their household and legal bills because they do not qualify for legal assistance. Even in criminal cases there was never any justification for reforming the system whilst excluding very serious and complex non-fraud cases as the Government has done.
Selwyn Figueras said: “There is no getting away from the fact that the changes to the legal aid rules have only benefitted a handful of defendants and have cost the taxpayer millions. By not progressing with the reforms which were there, with expedition, they have been ignoring the plight of all those in our community who should have been eligible for assistance but who are simply not getting it."
