The Tribune

By SANCHESKA BROWN

Tribune Staff Reporter

sbrown@tribunemedia.net

ATTORNEY General Allyson Maynard-Gibson yesterday said Fort Charlotte MP Dr Andre Rollins should “desist from speaking” about ongoing judicial matters in the House of Assembly especially if he is not “fully informed of matters on which he wishes to make public pronouncements”.

Her comments came a day after Dr Rollins accused her of having “goofed” on two major cases.

In a statement, Mrs Maynard-Gibson said Dr Rollins “evaded the facts of both cases” he mentioned in the House of Assembly and “insulted the resolve of prosecutors to see justice done.”

During his contribution in the House of Assembly on Wednesday, Dr Rollins, who is also the opposition’s shadow minister of national security, said there are “junior members of the Bar” who would not have made the mistakes Mrs Maynard-Gibson had made that caused “this administration to be left with its pants hanging”.

Dr Rollins said the attorney general’s “sloppy justice” resulted in charges being dropped against six men accused of being members of a gang and a Jamaican woman, previously convicted in The Bahamas’ first human trafficking case, having her conviction and sentences quashed by the Court of Appeal.

In her statement, Mrs Maynard-Gibson admitted that there were “missteps” but said “justice will be done”.

She also said the six men Dr Rollins mentioned in his comments have “been arraigned on other charges” and that her office intends to pursue the human trafficking conviction to the highest courts.

“A key quality of good leadership is to accept responsibility for the actions of those you lead. As attorney general, I have the privilege of directing an office filled with talented, hard working, dedicated Bahamians whose sole concern is the pursuit of justice for the benefit of the Bahamian people. While prosecutors are empowered to make the decisions they see fit during criminal proceedings, ultimately when there are missteps, I must carry that burden,” Mrs Maynard-Gibson said.

“As the opposition’s shadow minister of national security and an aspiring leader, Dr Rollins would do well to contemplate the qualities of good leadership qualities which include being fully informed of matters on which he wishes to make public pronouncements.

“By suggesting that ‘Swift Justice has become no justice’ in the case of the six men accused of being members of a gang and the woman convicted of human trafficking, Dr Rollins has evaded the facts of both cases and insulted the resolve of prosecutors to see justice done.

“The men accused have been arraigned on multiple other charges and the Office of the Attorney General intends to pursue the human trafficking conviction to the highest courts. Justice will be done.”

Mrs Maynard Gibson said in his “eagerness to mock” her, Dr Rollins avoided the success of Swift Justice.

“Since 2012, conviction rates have doubled. In 2015, we disposed of 110 more cases than at the start of my tenure as attorney general, and seven murder cases went from charge to conviction in a year. The reality is that through the work of the Swift Justice initiative we are tirelessly moving toward a more effective and efficient justice system,” the attorney general said.

“Now that Dr Rollins is more aware of these matters, he should respect the separation of powers and desist from speaking about ongoing judicial matters in the House of Assembly. Instead, Dr Rollins should celebrate the progress we have made and join in the continuous work of making our Bahamas safer.”