BASSETERRE, St. Kitts - THE search for a permanent Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) is still on, and with the recent resignation of Acting DPP Arundranath Gosai, Attorney-General the Hon. Vincent Byron said another Acting DPP would be appointed for the start of the January Criminal Assizes next week.
Sometime last year after a legal battle, the office of the DPP fell vacant and in October it was temporarily filled by Gosai.
SKNVibes understands that after his three-month contract had expired, he opted not to have it renewed and resigned from the post effective December 31.
Speaking recently with media representatives, Hon. Byron said Gosai did well in settling the office’s affairs.
“I want again to reiterate our profound thanks to him. He did an excellent job in the very short time he was there and pulled the office together and settled the affairs…
“The Assizes between September and December were very, very successful. We had engaged services of Queen’s Counsel Dane Hamilton of Antigua. He went to Nevis for the Nevis Assizes and all matters were concluded; he was successful in them. In St. Kitts we were not able to do all of them because some of the counsel travelled to Nevis for those Assizes as well. So it was difficult.”
He said the new acting DPP would be appointed by next week, seeing that the search for a permanent DPP has not yet been concluded.
“This time we are going to be starting the Assizes next week. We will have another acting DPP in place because we were not yet able to conclude our search to get the requisite person to be appointed to the post of DPP. We are in the process of having the matter dealt with by HR and the JLSC (Judicial and Legal Services Commission) who has to support the recommendation to have the acting person.”
Concerning questions raised about the effectiveness of the DPP’s office in the absence of a DPP, AG Byron said it continues to function and is in the process of preparing for the upcoming Assizes, for which Hamilton would continue to serve as “special counsel”.
“The office has been functioning. We have Crown Counsel who have been stationed there, have been manning it. There has been no court, court has been on holidays and the office has been preparing some 11, 12 matters that begin the Assizes that will be next week.
“We will be having Mr. Hamilton continue, Dane Hamilton continue to act as a special counsel with the fiat of the DPP, but an acting DPP will also be in place to make sure that the administration of Justice is continued, that we are able, as it was, to ensure that the prosecution of those who come before the court is done in a very good way and efficient way.”
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