The leader of the opposition Shyne Barrow says there's a crisis in the DPP's office which has led to what he says is another sickout. Barrow claims to be in direct contact with the disgruntled crown counsels and says that they are on a sickout and he traces it to the fear of falling victim to criminals. He pointed to the case of Iran Jones, a witness in the Sea Menzies murder trial who testified under threat and was then killed shortly after.
Here's how the Leader of the Opposition characterized the climate of fear:
Shyne Barrow, Leader of the Opposition
"The message coming from the crown counsels, which is why they're doing these sickouts, is that the criminal justice system is broken because they can't get convictions because they can't protect their witnesses."
"And one of the crown counsel said that, you know, they have nightmares to this day because they convinced that young man to testify and the young man told them that he would be murdered."
Jules Vasquez
"Iran Jones?"
Shyne Barrow, Leader of the Opposition
"Yes. So, again, this is the state of affairs we've been living in. Everything is discontinued. Heinous rape cases, heinous murder charges, all discontinued because they can't protect the witnesses. And the crown counsels are having a moral dilemma."
"Like how could they live with themselves putting people's lives at risk? Again, you have certain crown counsels that are on the front line prosecuting the most heinous murders from the most notorious murderers, and they have no security detail."
"There wasn't even security at the DPP's office. If we want to continue to bring violent crime down, we have to increase the conviction rate. But I am telling you, the crown counsels are telling you that it cannot happen under the current circumstances of insecurity, insufficient funding and resources."
Jules Vasquez
"Are the prosecutors, as you understand it, engage in any type of industrial action right now, like a go slow or a sick out?"
Shyne Barrow, Leader of the Opposition
"That is my understanding. We're calling on the Briceno administration to fix the broken criminal justice system because the moral amongst the government attorneys is at an all time low."
