New attorney general chosen

The individual who will fill the post of attorney general has been selected and will be named this week, Prime Minister Bruce Golding has said.

“I have already identified the new attorney general. I have already had acceptance of my invitation. The person simply said ‘I need a little time to make arrangements for the cases that I was dealing with’ … ,” Golding said.

The prime minister has taken the decision to separate the posts of attorney general and justice minister following a recommendation contained in the report of the Manatt-Dudus commission.

Meanwhile, the Patriots, a professional grouping aligned to the Opposition People’s National Party, has accused the prime minister of gross dereliction as a result of his failure, up to yesterday, to fill the attorney general’s post which became vacant a week ago.

“… It seems that the prime minister is dragging his feet on the appointment of an attorney general. This continued vacancy is untenable and must not be tolerated by the people of Jamaica,” the Patriots said in a release.

Golding, in rejecting criticism of the delay, said the person to be appointed was being drawn from the private Bar and has loose ends to tie up.

“The candidate was not sitting at home unemployed, scouring pages of the newspaper to see if there are positions advertised. That candidate has to disengage from legal matters involving clients,” Golding said.

The Gleaner