WASTING TIME ON A DPP BILL

The House of Assembly met during the last week and considered the first piece of legislation of the FNMs five month old term.  It was nothing on the economy but legislation to amend the constitution in one of its non-entrenched provisions to give the present powers of the Attorney General over to what they called an independent Director of Public Prosecutions.  The Bill on its face does that but then it puts in a rather strange provision which then says that the Attorney General can give general and specific directions in writing to the DPP and he must follow them in three areas: public policy, international obligations and national security.  This is exactly the present law.  So the FNM gives with one hand and takes with the other.  Dame Billie Miller of Barbados used to say you cannot approbate and reprobate at the same time.  Oh as for independence.  They give the DPP two five year terms. So that could mean as the DPP nears the end of his first five year term and wants to serve again, he had better start cuddling up to the authority that appoints him.  So much for independence.