The much-touted move of the Office of the Attorney General to a multimillion-dollar building on John F. Kennedy Drive could negatively affect the administration of justice if certain provisions are not put in place. Bahamas Bar Association President Elsworth Johnson told The Nassau Guardian that he welcomed the move from the General Post Office building on East Hill Street, which has a number of "environmental concerns", but he raised concerns about whether the relocation would affect the administration of justice.
The Office of the Attorney General is presently within walking distance to the Supreme Court, Court of Appeal and the criminal and civil registries. It took The Guardian 15 minutes to drive from the new location, which will be occupied later this year, on a Sunday afternoon with minimal traffic.
Johnson said yesterday that the Bahamas Bar Association does not want the move to militate against the smooth running of the judicial system.
"If there were some difficulties at the post office in terms of ferrying lawyers to and from court, and filing documents, we don't want that to be transplanted to Thompson Boulevard."
Johnson said that necessary steps ought to be put in place to ensure that lawyers get to court on time without having to use their personal resources.
He suggested that arrangements should be made for clerks to file documents "so that distance does not affect the role they have to play as ministers of justice".
Johnson noted that at the present location "lawyers are often scurrying down the hill with their bags in their hands to file something".
"They should not have to use their personal vehicles to do these things. There should be a messenger or courier service put in place so that attorneys don't have to jump in their cars to get things done."
Johnson said that lawyers in the Office of the Attorney General provide an invaluable service to the country for which they are overworked and underpaid. He said that he welcomed improved working conditions for the lawyers.
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