Appointment of new D.P.P. delayed
Just two weeks shy of the day he was due to take office, Director of Public Prosecutions designate, Kirk Anderson is already fending off controversy. Reports in the Opposition’s “Guardian” newspaper allege that not only were procedural regulations for his appointment sidestepped, but that the legal community has rejected him as the new D.P.P. This afternoon, Attorney General Godfrey Smith categorically dismissed the allegations, even though he admits that two complaints have been brought to the Bar Association against Anderson by former clients. Smith says as soon as the matter is resolved, Anderson will assume his post.
Godfrey Smith, Attorney General of Belize
“I have looked into the complaints and apparently in both instances, people are claiming, okay we deposited money for work done and either the work wasn’t done speedily enough or they decided they didn’t want to do it again. To my mind, even if it’s substantiated, it’s not an example of serious misconduct, but not to prejudge the issue. The issue is there are complaints against Mr. Anderson and they will be looked into.”
“The reason for bringing it as I understand it, was that whoever is the D.P.P. should assume office, as it was put to me, a clean slate. We obviously had no difficulty with that. Based on what happened at the meeting, the Judicial and Legal Services Commission took the view that we should wait, hold off, do nothing until these matters are cleared up.”
“I also must go to very great lengths to point out that the fact that a complaint is made against you is really nothing, a complaint can be made against anybody. Complaints have been made against many persons, many members of the Bar Association some with many years of experience and great reputations. As chairman of the General Legal Counsel, which is the body that deals with these complaints I can say that in most instances, eighty to eighty-five percent of the time these cases turn out to be unsubstantiated and are dismissed.”
According to the Attorney General, the intention of the members of the Judicial and Legal Services Commission is not to stop Anderson’s appointment as D.P.P., but to clear up any outstanding questions before he takes up his position in the public service. His original date of appointment, May first, will now be moved back; how far is not clear at this point.
