Senior Political Reporter
The Public Administration Ministry has not received any new requests to look for alternative accommodation for the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions.
Public Administration Minister Allyson West confirmed this on Tuesday, as she responded to questions from Guardian Media on the issue.
West said the Attorney General is treating with the Office of the DPP’s accommodation.
“So as and when we’re contacted, we’ll get involved and do what needs to be done,” she added.
Her comments came after the Government, in September, terminated the month-to-month arrangement on the Park Street, Port-of-Spain building which was leased for the DPP’s Office in 2019. The DPP did not occupy it due to safety issues raised by the Special Branch. The total rent paid on the unused building was $55 million.
In last month’s Senate Budget debate, Attorney General Reginald Armour said consideration was being given to temporarily accommodate some of the DPP’s staff. Some staff members will be allocated by the Judicial and Legal Services Commission. Armour indicated the DPP himself will remain in his current Winsure Building location and he hoped additional staff will be relocated. Armour said there would be consideration of a site on which a proper building can be built for several legal staff. If that’s done, he hoped the DPP would agree to move there.
Yesterday, neither Armour nor DPP Roger Gaspard responded to queries on the issue.
On the possibility the vacated Park Street building might be used for alternative purposes, West said she did not yet have those instructions either and at the moment, all the Government had done was terminate the month-to-month arrangement.