Announcements
You may contact our department by writing officially to the Secretary for Justice and Border Control at the following address:
PUBLIC NOTICE - Immigration Amnesty
Published on 23-04-2024
ADMISSION OF PLEADERS OF THE DEPARTMENT
Published on 23-04-2024
The Acting Chief Justice Khan has admitted three new pleaders to practice as legal practitioners in Nauru. All three Pleaders are employees of the Department of Justice. They have been serving the Department for more than four years.
The Secretary for Justice, Mr Jay Udit himself, moved the petitions for all the petitioners. The Secretary stressed in his submissions to the Court the capacity building of local Nauruans in the legal fraternity. It is encouraging to see that a number of Nauruan citizens who have undergone pleaders training courses or, for that, matter having completed their law degrees are able to manage legal work, with or without much supervision.
In this particular case, all three pleaders have worked on different areas of the Department. Blossom Lisi Tsiode has worked as the Personal Assistant for the Secretary for Justice for 3 years. Katherine Belong has worked as a paralegal and then a pleader for the Human Rights Section for more than 4 years. Regina Deidenang has worked as a paralegal for the Office of the Public Legal Defender. She currently handles trademark registration in Nauru very ably. The Secretary acknowledged the work of the admittees and encouraged them to progress further with their law degrees to ensure that Nauru is able to have its own capacity in legal practice and services.
Katherine Belong
Ms Katherine Belong joined the Department in 2019 as a temporary employee in the Human Rights division and later as a Paralegal. Joining the Department was the catalyst for more things to come and she quickly enrolled in the Pleaders Course. This has allowed Katherine to broaden her knowledge and expand her pursuits for further education.
Katherine completed the Pleaders Course in June 2023 and has represented the Republic on the world stage:
(i) Human Rights Conference in Singapore in March 2023; and
(ii) Human Rights Council’s 55th Session in Geneva from 19/06/23 to 14/07/23, where she delivered Nauru’s country statement.
Blossom Lisi Tsiode
Ms Blossom Lisi Tsiode joined the Department in 2020 as the Personal Assistant to the Secretary for Justice. She enrolled in the Pleaders Course and upon completion, she won the overall Best Female Prize. Upon completion of the Pleaders Course, Lisi applied for a Pleaders position and was accepted to be a Pleader in the Office of the Legislative Drafter.
Lisi has represented the Republic on the world stage:
(i) UNCAC Conference in Sigatoka, Fiji in July 2023; and
(ii) UNCAC Conference in Atlanta, USA in December 2023, where she delivered Nauru’s country statement.
Regina Deidenang
Ms Regina Deidenang joined the Department in December 2020 as a student intern with the Office of the Public Legal Defender. Following the completion of her 6-month internship, she joined the Intellectual Property division as a Paralegal.
She enrolled in the Pleaders Course as well and has honed her legal skills, especially in analysis and advocacy. After completing the Pleaders Course, Regina was appointed as a Pleader in the IP division.
She is part of the staff at the IP division in clearing the backlog of trademark applications, which is evident from the high volume of Trademark applications in recent Government Gazettes.
Regina wants to further her tertiary studies and keep pursuing her goals.
Margaret Adifaka joined as Prosecutor
Margaret Adifaka Suifa’asia is a Prosecutor with 11 years of experience who recently joined the Office of the Director of Public Prosecution, Nauru, on 11 March 2024.
Margaret previously worked with the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions in the Solomon Islands. She graduated with a double degree, BA/LLB, majoring in Management and Public Administration and Law in 2010 from the University of the South Pacific, School of Law, Emalus Campus, Vanuatu. She completed her Professional Diploma in Legal Practice in 2011 at Laucala Campus, Suva, Fiji.
Margaret’s interest in criminal prosecution has always been in the area of sexual and gender-based violence crimes. Her greatest accomplishment to-date was her contribution to the Pacific Islands Law Officer’s Network (PILON) Regional Guidelines for Prosecutors and Witness Support Officers to support vulnerable witnesses through the Prosecution of Sexual and Gender Based Violence Offences. She was a member of the Advisory Panel to the Sexual and Gender Based Violence Working Group and had worked on the Regional Guidelines.
Away from her official duties, Margaret enjoys reading, cooking, gardening and spending time with the family.
Margaret is married with 3 children and has settled down well in the company of her two younger children who in turn have swiftly adjusted well and love their new island home.
Department of Justice Website Officially Launched
His Excellency the Acting President and Minister for Justice Lionel Aingimea, officially launches the Department of Justice website, 19 February.
Developed with the assistance of the Sri Lankan based mobiOs company, the website aims to make essential resources and services easier to access and more mainstreamed for the general public.
Acting President Aingimea expressed his gratitude to all who made the project a success and reaffirmed the Department’s commitment to serving the people of Nauru.
The website was made with user friendly language to ensure that the information is easy to understand, and will be updated on a regular basis by each of the sections in the department.
Dated 19 February 2024
THE HONOURABLE LIONEL ROUWEN AINGIMEA, MP MINISTER FOR JUSTICE AND BORDER CONTROL
Speech for the launch of the website for the Department of Justice and Border Control by
Dated 19 February 2024
Mr. Jay Udit
Speech by the Secretary for Department of Justice and Border Control
Nauru Hosts Historic 42nd PILON Annual Meeting, Demonstrating Commitment to Legal Cooperation
Nauru played a pivotal role in hosting the 42nd Annual Pacific Islands Law Officers’ Network (PILON) Meeting from Wednesday, 01 November to Friday, 03 November 2023. This historic gathering brought together members of PILON, alongside representatives from various regional and international organizations, spotlighting Nauru’s dedication to fostering legal cooperation within the Pacific region.
The event commenced with grand opening formalities, marked by the arrival of the President of the Republic of Nauru, His Excellency Honourable David W. R. Adeang, M.P. His Excellency’s words underlined the vital role that senior law officers play in advancing legal and justice matters throughout the Pacific region.
President Adeang took the opportunity to express his delight in Nauru hosting the meeting for the first time, highlighting the changes in the world following the pandemic. He said, “After the pandemic, the whole world has changed in many ways. As senior officers of your countries, I am confident that you are aware of changes and important events happening in our Pacific Region, which may or may not be directly linked to law, but they set the future of our region.” The incoming Chair, Mr. Jay Udit, Nauru Secretary for Justice and Border Control, extended a warm welcome to all PILON members and observers present. He gave special recognition to Samoa for its exceptional leadership within PILON over the past four years.
Ms. Su’a Hellene Wallwork, the outgoing PILON Chair and Attorney General of Samoa, delivered a heartfelt address during the Annual Meeting. She expressed her gratitude to President Adeang, the incoming Chair Mr. Jay Udit, and fellow members. Ms. Wallwork also lauded the dedication and hard work of PILON Secretariat officers and reflected on the region’s challenges over the past three years.
The PILON Annual Meeting serves as a significant platform for senior Pacific law officials to come together, share invaluable experiences, and foster collaborative partnerships. Attorneys General, Directors of Public Prosecutions, and Justice Agency Heads seized the opportunity to establish connections with their Pacific counterparts and gain insights into innovative approaches for addressing shared challenges and opportunities.
PILON, an organization founded in 1981, stands as one of the Pacific region’s oldest institutions. Its primary mission is to cultivate relationships among senior law officers, facilitating collaboration and addressing common challenges across various domains, including national security and sustainable development.
The successful hosting of the 42nd PILON Annual Meeting in Nauru marks a historic milestone in the organization’s rich history. It underscores the unwavering commitment of Pacific nations to legal cooperation and mutual support. The vital role of Department of Justice and Border Control in facilitating this event signifies Nauru’s growing prominence as a hub for regional legal collaboration within the Pacific region.