The Office of the Attorney General has been aggressively pursuing some of its goals noted earlier in the year. This according to Attorney General and Min. of Legal Affairs, Senator the Hon. Ryan Pinder as he gave an overview of what moves have been made in his ministry in recent months. The Senator was speaking during the midterm budget debate on Monday, 21st March.
“In the debate on the supplementary budget, I spoke to several initiatives in which the Attorney General looked to achieve during the remaining part of the 2021/2022 fiscal year and beyond. Six months into our administration, I think it’s appropriate to update the Bahamian people on the progress at OAG,” he said.”
He said that during that previous communication, he had stated that the emphasis would be placed on capital expenditure. On the agenda was the upgrade and move of the Registrar General Department (RGD), as well as the Freedom of Information Unit (FOI).
“I had advised that both the RGD and the FOI will move into purpose renovated space in the Bahamas Financial Centre to allow for a professional working environment with the space and accommodations to properly service the public. I am pleased to confirm that the renovation plans are being finalized by the Ministry of Works and we look to go to tender for the renovations of the new RGD space and the FOI unit next month. We are on pace to move into the new facilities by the end of the calendar year, and still on pace to digitize the Registrar General Department by the end of this calendar year.”
He also gave an update on the move to establish specialty courts. He said that a location has been identified for a Family court, supplemented by social services offices, mediation facilities and other necessary complements to address family disputes. Additionally, Mr. Pinder said that although his Ministry is still working on the logistics, a location has also been identified for a specialty court to address sexual offenses/domestic violence cases.
Mr. Pinder also gave an update on reform efforts at the Department of Public Prosecutions. He said that the department is being reorganized and restructured. Issues at the Office of the Attorney General (OAG) are also being addressed.
“We likewise look to expand the capacity in the Office of the Attorney General,” he said. “You may have seen advertisements in the daily newspapers that the OAG is hiring and soliciting additional attorneys to assist and bolster the current team. The OAG as the law firm of the Government is the largest and most prestigious law firm in the country. The demand for timely legal advice and defense of the Government is enormous. We look to hire the best and the brightest to join our team to provide support for our civil litigation department.”
