OCHO RIOS:
PRIME MINISTER P.J. Patterson yesterday declined to intervene in the impasse between Director of Public Prosecutions Kent Pantry Q.C., and the staff at his office.
He said the matter is one for both the Attorney-General and Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Justice to deal with.
Mr. Patterson was responding to a question during a joint press conference with South African President, Thabo Mbeki, at Grand Sport Villas & Spa in Ocho Rios.
Prosecutors attached to the office of the DPP stayed off the job yesterday for the second consecutive day, seriously affecting the administration of the justice system across the island.
Initially, the Prime Minister said he preferred to reserve comment on the matter and allow the Public Service Commission (PSC), the Attorney-General and the Permanent Secretary in the Justice Ministry to respond to the issue.
However, he reminded members of the media that an administrative report on the operation of the Office of the DPP was ordered by the PSC. He said the Commission had already received the report and has the responsibility to act on it.
Mr. Patterson said he understood that the Commission has delegated certain functions to Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Carol Palmer, which confers upon her specific responsibilities, "and which when acted upon will remove some of the concerns within the department itself."
