The discretion of the DPP

A senior police officer and Suresh Prasad are the latest beneficiaries of the Director of Public Prosecutions power and discretion. One can have no argument as to the right to exercise this power but the public has yet to see a declared policy or guidelines on the DPP exercise of discretion.  

Many a member of the public are left scratching their heads on the outcome of cases where prosecutors take a certain course with some cases and not others. A published guide or code of conduct would go far in educating lay persons on the methodology and rules by which prosecutors apply their discretion in an even and balanced manner.  

The independence of this office was foremost in its creation and to lessen the burden of our overworked Attorney-General who was very busy spending 58 working days off Island on government business in 2010. Where this idea has fallen down is regular oversight of this government department and the required transparency in decisions especially when the phrase: in the public interest is used. The oversight of the DPP is a compelling necessity and a local body equivalent to the UK Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate should be considered. It is hoped that the recent and unheralded move of the DPP office from the DMS building to an unnamed building near Fidelity Bank in circumstances where much vacant space lies unused in the new government building at an additional cost to the people of the Cayman Islands will be accompanied by a new page of accountability. 

Peter Polack