The Tribune

THE Director of Public Prosecutions is to be released from her contract after a period of speculation about tensions within the office of the Attorney General over her tenure.

Late last night, a Government press release said that Vinette Graham-Allen had “expressed the desire to be released from her contract with the Government of The Bahamas so as to further her professional development and career”. The Government agreed to her request.

In May of this year, it was reported that Mrs Graham-Allen had taken a three-month vacation, while Legal Affairs Minister Damian Gomez said it was too premature to discuss whether or not her contract would be renewed. At the time, he said: “I haven’t really been thinking about it.”

When the Jamaican attorney was appointed to the role by the former Ingraham administration, the decision was met with scathing criticism by the official opposition.

Shortly after the Christie-led administration took office in 2012, Prime Minister Perry Christie said he planned to conduct an independent review of then Deputy DPP Cheryl Grant-Bethell’s application for the post.

At the time, Mr Christie said: “I did meet with Cheryl Grant-Bethell. I’m not as familiar as I could be with the issues affecting her; I gave her an undertaking that I will make myself familiar with those issues.

“We do have a Director of Public Prosecutions under contract. When you come to government, notwithstanding the best views articulated, one has to exercise good judgment when it comes to people who are in post.”

The former Deputy DPP was locked in a bitter dispute with the Ingraham administration over her failure to be appointed Director of the department.

After serving as Deputy for nine years, she was instead promoted to Deputy Law Reform and Revision Commissioner for a salary increase of $35 per month, a move she defined as a personal attack.

Mrs Grant-Bethell filed an application for judicial review after the appointment was given to Mrs GrahamAllen.

Senior Justice Isaacs refused to overturn Mrs Graham-Allen’s appointment to the post of DPP; however, he noted in his judgment that the Judicial and Legal Services Commission “failed to treat her fairly and that the advice tendered to the Governor General was flawed because the JLSC considered material they should not have had in their contemplation when they purported to do so”.

Speaking on the matter in the House of Assembly in 2011, former Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham indicated that he had “good and valid reasons” for not making Mrs Grant-Bethell DPP. He said he had previously supported Mrs Grant-Bethell for the DPP’s post, but ultimately withdrew his support based on unspecified “information” that he had received, which he said gave him “good and valid reasons” to withdraw.

Speaking at the swearing-in ceremony for PLP senators in 2012, Mr Christie added: “Ms Grant-Bethell is fully aware of my own authority in this matter. I will in good faith examine the position – and independent of the Attorney General – I will arrive at my position as what is the right thing to do in all of the circumstances.”

Last night’s statement on the ending of Mrs Graham-Allen’s contract said: “Mrs Graham-Allen indicated her gratitude for the opportunity to make extensive contributions to the administration of justice in The Bahamas.

“In wishing Mrs Graham-Allen Godspeed in her future endeavours, the Attorney General, Senator Allyson Maynard Gibson, acknowledged and thanked her for the significant contributions that she has made to the administration of justice, which contributions include but are not limited to successful prosecution of the first Trafficking in Persons (TIP) matter in the Supreme Court; assistance with the establishment of the TIP Task Force and advice in relation thereto; assistance in setting up Case Management and Witness Care divisions to further the successful implementation of Swift Justice and enable successful prosecutions.

“Further, through her role as Executive Committee Member of the International Association of Prosecutors (“IAP”), IAP Regional Representative for the Caribbean and General Secretary of the Caribbean Association of Prosecutors (“CAP”), she forged strong links between the Office of the Attorney General, the IAP and the CAP.”

Garvin Gaskin has been named as the Acting Director of Public Prosecutions.