DPP seeks $2.3M for new office infrastructure
The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) has made an urgent request to the government for $2.3 million to address office infrastructure challenges and persistent staffing shortages.
The DPP’s request came during a recent Standing Finance Committee (SFC) meeting, where she raised concerns that insufficient staffing has significantly hampered the office’s efficiency, particularly in handling cases involving financial crimes and other complex prosecutions. The office has nine legal vacancies, with the DPP noting that the hiring process for these roles has been slow, often taking up to nine months to complete.
In addition to staffing concerns, the DPP highlighted the urgent need for improved office infrastructure. She revealed that the current office space has persistent issues with air quality and inadequate security, making it an unsuitable environment for legal staff handling high-profile cases. The office was initially expected to be housed in the planned Halls of Justice, but those plans did not materialise. As a result, the department has been tasked with sourcing alternative accommodations.
The proposed budget for the new office infrastructure includes approximately $1.5 million for outfitting a new space, which is currently an unfinished building requiring significant modifications. The estimated cost also accounts for an annual rent of $306,000, security enhancements costing $62,728, air conditioning expenses of $276,000, and electricity costs of $37,000 annually. Additionally, the office requires $150,000 for furniture and relocation expenses.
During the SFC meeting, Communications and Works Minister Kye Rymer expressed support for the DPP’s request, acknowledging that inadequate office conditions and limited staffing have long been obstacles for the department. He assured that the Public Works Department would assess the proposed office space and provide the necessary evaluations to facilitate its completion.
Opposition Leader Ronnie Skelton also raised concerns about the DPP’s ability to fulfil its legal obligations given the lack of adequate personnel. He requested performance statistics to assess how the staffing shortfall has affected case management. The DPP confirmed that her office had processed 244 cases in the Magistrate’s Court as of September and filed 16 indictments in the High Court, 13 of which had been concluded by early November.
Premier Dr Natalio Wheatley acknowledged that the hiring process for legal staff remains a significant issue and committed to engaging with the relevant authorities to expedite recruitment efforts.
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BVI Please find yourself a DPP and lose that loser,
does anyone knows that prisoner are kept at RTPS up to 7 days after being charged with an offence, because of this i**ot we call a DPP, how more foolish can it get.
The most important thing it to fire the DPP and get a new one. Then we can try to fix the system. It will never be fixed with the current DPP in office.
They need to lose the cops who cannot write a proper sentence much less put a case together, and there are plenty.
I wasn’t spending one cent on she and her office for her to still lose every case. Win some cases first and then we could talk. Sick ah she
Firstly, everyone in the building trade knows that the present offices were built badly by a connected BVIslander, so Government has been paying over the odds for years. Let the landlord fix the problems.
Secondly, where is this new office on which a fortune needs to be spent to make it good? Another government crony’s place, again badly built and being let to the government as a way of providing a back-hander???
The salaries of the DPP staff do need to be reviewed against the market salaries of comparable lawyers, but the lady herself needs to go and a competent lawyer and leader appointed instead. HR surely knows the reason why so many people have left and though the hiring process does take far too long, the department now has a bad reputation and that needs to be fixed by changing the head.
The DPP said: “… making it an unsuitable environment for legal staff handling high-profile cases.”
What are these ‘high profile cases’ and why don’t they reach the court system?
When I rent office space the landlord gives a build out allowance. I don’t pay rent for a shell and then pay for capital improvements that increase value of the asset.
if she win those drug bust cases we might have that to give but none???
When we see acceptable results, not until
WE BELIEVE THE WIGGED ONE OR ( CSC ) THE CITY SLICKER CAN DO A BETTER JOB ,WITH THEIR CLOSED