Public defender suffers Budget cut

WITH 1,700 complaints from Tivoli Gardens residents now before the public defender, one lawmaker has expressed surprise that the budgetary allocation to his office has been cut in this year's Budget.

The complaints came against the background of the May 2010 military-led operations in west Kingston which left 73 civilians dead.

The Office of the Public Defender received $73.4 million this fiscal year, a $15.4 million decrease when compared with the $88.8 million allocated last year.

Dr Peter Phillips, East Central St Andrew member of parliament, yesterday suggested that even before the examination of the estimates was completed, the Standing Finance Committee should consider adding resources to the Office of the Public Defender.

"The delay in resolving those complaints is going to fester like a sore on the conscience of the society as a whole and is going to lead to a lot of ill-will and negative feelings being developed, and I suggest that we … add something to allow for an expeditious settlement of these disputes," Phillips urged Finance Minister Audley Shaw.

"I take note of the observation made, and certainly this is an area that we have to have continuing dialogue, and I undertake to have further discussion with the public defender," Shaw replied.

Shaw told parliamentarians that the funds would be made available in Supplementary Estimates of Expenditure later this year, if the need arises.

Public Defender Earl Witter is to submit a report to Prime Minister Bruce Golding detailing whether the security forces infringed any legal or constitutional rights of residents in west Kingston during the operation last May.

The Golding administration will then determine whether to appoint a commission of enquiry into the incident.

In May 2010, the security forces entered Tivoli Gardens to execute an arrest warrant on Christopher 'Dudus' Coke. The then west Kingston strongman was accused by United States authorities of drug trafficking and gunrunning.