DPP frustrated with Finance Ministry

The country's chief prosecutor Paula Llewellyn this morning expressed her frustration over the delays by the Ministry of Finance to honour its commitment to provide her office with additional staff.

The comment came as the number of cases down for trial before the Home Circuit Court continues to climb.

Figures released by the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) show that a total of 861 cases are down for trial during the Michaelmas Term, which began this morning.

Llewellyn says late last year the finance ministry gave approval for 17 posts at the DPP's office which would take effect on April 1 this year.

However, she says to date this has not taken effect.

Llewellyn says out of frustration she wrote to the deputy financial secretary who heads the establishment division of the ministry in July seeking approval for six temporary posts.

She says she has not received a response.

The 861 cases before the Home Circuit Court includes 733 that were traversed from the last court term and 128 new committals.