Letters

The Editor, Sir:

What role, if any, can the governor general, Sir Patrick Allen, play in defusing the public row between Greg Christie and Paula Llewellyn? I am saddened and shudder at the thought that these two public officials are sounding off like the People's National Party (PNP) and the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP).

The scathing criticisms in the annual report of the Office of Contractor General (OCG) and the contractor ceneral, Greg Christie, levelled at the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) - and Ms Paula Llewellyn in particular -show that something is wrong with the process.

I, like many Jamaicans, was elated when Ms Llewellyn got the top job as DPP. I thought that both she and Mr Christie would work together as a team, zealously prosecuting and driving fear in the hearts of those corrupt public officials and other violators of the integrity statutes.

I feel let down learning of the reported non-prosecution of some of the cases the OCG submitted to the DPP and the lack of communication between the two offices.

In the United States, a country we love to emulate, it is an offence to lie to the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the government prosecutes those who lie. In our country, our laws say it is an offence to lie to the OCG and where the contractor general finds that such an offence is committed, he send material to the DPP to prosecute. The DPP thinks that is not sufficient; you must prove intent to lie.

Not for DPP to decide

I do not think it is for the DPP to say there is no case to answer. She should follow through and send the matter for a court to decide. I feel that Mr Christie and Ms Llewellyn can do for Jamaica what the PNP and JLP failed to do. They should find common ground and realise that they are on the same team for rights and justice. We do not need another turf war.

I beseech the governor general to call a meeting with these two agents of the state to quell any row they may have and advise that both offices meet frequently and discuss their findings and iron out their differences.

Short of that then, I think, it is paramount that an office on the level of the DPP be created (with Mr Christie in charge) to prosecute corrupt public officials and other citizens who flout the integrity statutes.

I am, etc.,

AUTHNEL REID

authnelreid@optonline.ent