The Public Solicitor’s Office was invited to attend the Onesua Presbyterian College career talk with the students. On the 6th of May 2023 the staffs of Public Solicitor, Henzler Vira, Fotuviri Kalsakau and Glenn Talae took a forty-five-minute drive to the northern part of the island Efate.
We received a warmly greetings from the students and the teachers. The Onesua Presbyterian College invited more than eight departments and private sectors to attend but only (5) departments attended including the Public Solicitor’s Office. The College began the session by calling PSO team to start the career talk. The discussion is mainly about a lawyer’s career and the relevant courses that the students need to focus on. We informed them that a lawyer is a person who practices law. The role of a lawyer varies greatly across different jurisdictions and a lawyer can be classified as an advocate, government lawyer, attorney, barrister, counsel, solicitor, legal executive, or public servant with each role having different functions and privileges. Working as a lawyer generally involves the practical application of abstract legal theories and knowledge to solve specific problems. Some lawyers also work primarily in advancing the interests of the law and legal profession.
Following our career talk, we allowed students to ask questions. It seems that many students are very interested to become a lawyer in the future. However, some students are yet to decide on their future career. Due to recent report on social media and events happening in our society, students intended to ask questions about the law of Vanuatu especially in criminal matters. The issues are as follows:
- • Marijuana
- • Rape
- • Trespass
- • Theft
- • Assault
- • Damage to property
We were delighted to present the legal career talk to students and the legal clinic. We discussed some common criminal offences that occur in our society and its consequences. Ms. Fotuviri covered the process of a probate case as the students raised questions about some properties belonging to their parents.
The team shared lunch together with the Onesua presbyterian College staff member and the invited guest coming from all different fields of work. We resumed into the school hall at 2 o’clock to continue answering the questions posed by the students. The academic staffs on behalf of the students kindly farewelled us with a token of a bag manioc before we left the school premises back to Port Vila.
We acknowledge the Onesua Presbyterian College is amiability and opportunity given to the office of the Public Solicitor to discuss with the students about the law professions.