By Sue-Ann Wayow
OPPOSITION Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar says she has no reason to question the independence of Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Roger Gaspard, SC.
She said on Monday night, “I have no reason to doubt his independence in his office. I have none. So far, he has functioned as he should, as an independent DPP.”
Persad-Bissessar was speaking during the United National Congress (UNC) Monday night forum in Macaulay, Claxton Bay.
She said Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley did not speak about the issue raised by the DPP which was staff shortage but instead diverted the topic to “a building somewhere.”
Last Thursday at a political meeting, Dr Rowley said millions of taxpayers’ dollars were being wasted on rent for an unused building allocated to the DPP.
Persad-Bissessar asked about the owner of a building located at Park Street, Port-of-Spain that is supposed to house the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).
She said, “I am sure the DPP will respond in due course to the allegations they are making. I don’t know all the facts of the case, but it appears that it’s the Special Branch recommendations for certain security measures, most important but then, I don’t know what problem Rowley has with the special branch.”
Varying characters of persons visit the DPP’s Office and safety should be of paramount importance not just to the visitors and workers in the office but also to the general public especially if the office was in a public space such as a mall, Persad-Bissessar said.
Recalling when she was prime minister, she said her Cabinet had approved more staffing for the DPP’s office.
She added that even worse was that Attorney General Reginald Armour, SC, statements that staff at the DPP’s office was underperforming.
“What do you expect? If 75 % of the department of the DPP office is understaffed, under resourced?” the Opposition Leader asked adding that Armour was the last person who should be talking about incompetence.
In a radio interview last week, Gaspard said the DPP’s Office had 58 attorneys, including some with little or no court experience.
He noted that Cabinet note of 2013 proposed the DPP’s office should have 137 attorneys.
Gaspard was criticised by both Dr Rowley and Armour for his statements.
Since that interview, 10 new attorneys have been assigned to the DPP’s office.
