DPP blames HR delays, salary limitations for staff shortages
The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Tiffany Scatliffe, has flagged delays in recruitment and salary constraints as key factors contributing to staff shortages in her office.
Addressing the Standing Finance Committee (SFC) recently, Scatliffe expressed frustration, noting that this was her fourth time as Director and seventh overall appearance before the SFC with the same priority concern again being raised, to no avail, and that she needed help with inadequate Human Resources.
The DPP noted that the Caribbean Financial Action Task Force (CFATF) highlighted the office’s resource deficiencies. She stated that failure to comply with all recommendations in the report issued last year could result in the Virgin Islands becoming grey or black-listed, which would be detrimental.
She added that the under-resourcing of her department impacts global financial compliance efforts, including combating money laundering and other crimes.
Recruitment Challenges and Vacancies
The Director reported that nine legal posts were vacant, while all administrative posts were filled except one, which was on rotation and expected to be addressed by the Department of Human Resources. The vacant legal posts included one Principal Crown Counsel post under recruitment by the JLC, one Senior Crown Counsel post in recruitment, two unfunded Senior Crown Counsel posts, three Crown Counsel positions in recruitment, one Paralegal II position, and one Paralegal I position awaiting recruitment approval by the JLC.
She explained that the hiring process remains cumbersome, noting that it takes nine months after shortlisting for an applicant to show up, and during that process, “people decide that they do not want to wait for the Virgin Islands.” She also pointed out that salary limitations prevent her office from attracting top talent. The DPP mentioned they were not paying enough, and despite the new salary review, she was unable to negotiate a proper salary because she cannot negotiate beyond grade one. She added that this was the reason she lost employees.
The DPP urged the Committee to prioritise funding for her office to ensure compliance with international obligations and to support critical law enforcement functions.
She warned that adequate resourcing is essential to maintain the Virgin Islands’ reputation. She expressed that this could be demonstrated by fully resourcing the Office of the DPP and ensuring that the criminal suite of legislation was modernised and could deal with new and emerging threats in criminality.
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It seems more likely that no sensible lawyer is prepared to work with the DPP who routinely demonstrates a lack of legal ability, a complete lack of judgment and high handed arrogance. It is time that we fired the under performing DPP and appointed one that can win a few more cases.
The HR process is very slow for government lawyers. Part of the problem over the course of years has been the infrequency of JLSC meetings. The PSC and the other service commissions meet quite frequently, however the JLSC, well a candidate is lucky if it even meets once a month and even then they might not get through the agenda of the day.
If the departments would plan their staffing needs, HR department would definitely do what needs to be done. Weak DPP
The biggest problem in the DPP’s office is the DPP herself. She is incompetent and nobody wants to work with her because she has zero people’s skills. No local want to work at that office with that with that woman there. Her superiors know this but seem afraid to do anything about it. She will continue to lose case after case because she either doesn’t know what she is doing or bringing cases out of spite or something. The government will continue to get suits for malicious prosecution if they don’t change this lady.
We know, we like it so.
The Government can send home all sorts of people. Isn’t it time the Governor, since the HOA gave him the power to control our people, deal with that DDP woman? Complaints after complaint. She is an ole sour pu**.
Blames everyone except herself.
Same old you give the AG new staff and nothing gets done you give the Dpp more staff and nothing gets done
Both dawn and Tiffiny must go fast they have both failed
The AG too has a bad reputation. It appears the seat she inherited is too hot for her. She needs to admit it. She cannot handle the job. She does nothing but delegate to staff who is already burdened and tired of her delegation. Only sitting on her hide to collect a pension. Them always running to the Governor. Let them run to him for her too.
hmmmm has everbody been commenting wrong over all these years about the same person? Can’t remember ever reading a positive comment about the person. I don’t know, but just asking a question.
If I had something positive to say I would say it, but the only thing I can think of to say that she is consistent …
… consistently hopeless and arrogant.
If you have nothing good to say about people, keep your trap shut.
…. That’s what all the criminals are saying.
Great for any wrong doer’s, therefore it will continue to be thus
“ No Names No Pack Drill” . The HOA have no intention of leaving themselves open to competent prosecutors.
This lady is playing the blaming game and in the main time criminals keep getting away, everyone in her office knows that she is the real problem, wow.
Wow, if this DPP is the problem, then why doesn’t Government or JLC do something about it. See what happens when you put locals in position. They feel they are entitled and there until they retire with their pension.
Who checks on their work performance?
keeps the DPP weak and disorganized on purpose. These politicians rely on incompetent prosecutors to further their criminal enterprises.
When the UK takes over this year the entire DPP will be dismissed and replaced with competent KC’s to prosecute the corrupt politicians and punish them with long periods of incarceration.
When the UK takes over, we are sending you home, because we don’t want people like you with Colonial mentality here sending our people backward. See if you can find a flat up there to flatten out your head because your head can’t be good. Nothing about the “king” is good for the BVI.
Whilst the DPP is completely incompetent don’t forget that the magistrates are equally as bad if not worse. Case after case adjourned due to laziness and not wanting to do a days work. Schedules cancelled on the morning of a full day of hearings. And all the time persons are in remand at HMP waiting years for their hearings. Wake up everyone. We gone backwards.
There is a case in the Magistrate’s Court for over 13 years now without a conclusion. The defendant has made 156 appearances the last I heard, and each time you are hearing “adjourned,” DPP not ready. How could this be justice? Neither the Magistrates or the DPP cannot see this is injustice? That DPP and her office needs investigating. Police investigating all sorts of unnecessary cases and the ODPP made history by having the longest magisterial outstanding case in the Caribbean. The JLSC needs to hear about that.
Them island man you with
WELL ISN’T THAT THE NORM THESE DAYS, WHERE DO YOU LIVE ? EVERY GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENT ARE READING FROM THE SAME SCRIPT , THEY EITHER BLAMING EACHOTHER OR THE WHITE COLONIALIST / SLAVE MASTERS / JUST ASK THE WIGGED ONE
It was the same with the Labor Tribunal when the government appointed J S and when everyone complained about him and his Biased verdicts the government then just put everything on hold until his contract eventually expired instead of firing him . There is absolutely no sense of urgency when it comes to removing someone who doesn’t perform.
It’s like in the army . If someone is incompetent you give them a great reference so they get promoted and moved elsewhere .
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And all of them have a negative opinion on the DPP and no one doing anything about it, wow, I wonder how she feels, /////
The failure of this entire department is intentional. Keep enforcement weak so it’s easy to launder money and commit crime. Pass lots of laws but don’t enforce any of them. Comply with the COI but only on paper. And the best goes on.