Online feedback

Below is feedback from online readers of www.jamaica-gleaner.com on Bert Samuels' letter chastising the prime minister for criticism re the cost of legal fees.

PM right this time

This clearly is posturing on the part of the lawyers. I continue to sound the alarm about Jamaica's trial lawyers. This argument that the judiciary must be left to do what they please is false.

The judiciary is not elected by the people; it is paid by the people. Justice officials must be held accountable by the people's representatives.

In the interest of transparency, the lawyers know that Parliament has the authority to put caps on awards and that forms the basis of the howls we are hearing from trial lawyers.

The Jamaican people need to know these facts. The fight trial lawyers have with the PM may be of a different nature, but the PM is right on this one.

- Mike Beckles

genuine concern

The Accounts Committee of Parliament has an obligation to the citizens of Jamaica to establish standards and guidelines for judges, as judges are responsible to adjudicate on legal fees. In the context of legal fees that many lawyers charge looking at the per-capita income, the prime minister is correct. Prime Minister Bruce Golding's concern is genuine. With astronomically high legal fees, the poor will be denied justice.

- Joan Porteous

stop meddling

It is about time the PM start acting as leader of Jamaica and not just chairman of the JLP.

If a JLP MP chooses to lie to the court and the Parliament and, as a consequence, is ordered by the court to pay the cost determined by the court, that should be it.

If the PM is serious about legal costs, let me recommend that he turn his attention to the legal costs for property transaction.

- Jas

the scary truth

If the PM is chastising the decision of the courts, he is treading on slippery ground. Sympathising with a member of the JLP is unacceptable. The only duty the PM has is to tell that member that she should be honest, but then a lot of people in that party can't deal with the truth.

- Hani