At his first press conference since he began his second stint as Attorney General earlier this year, Legal Affairs Minister Charles Ramson yesterday detailed some of the pressures of holding the office saying that he inherited a depleted staff and loads of unfinished work.
Ramson who previously held the post from 1997-2001 said the workload was reasonably expected, noting that a similar situation had confronted him on the previous occasion he served as AG. He observed that this was expected given “the reported health concerns of my two predecessors”.
The AG said that much work is being quietly undertaken by his chambers “outside of the press” and amid a weakened workforce.
“I inherited a depleted staff that included professionals whose career ambitions were not all together in synchrony with a stable in-house framework.
Some have since moved on to greener pastures”, the AG told reporters yesterday.
He said that out of a complement of 20 legal officers, the chamber only has seven – two of whom are on protracted leave.
“It may surprise you and members of the public that one officer had in excess of 100 days leave within a twelve-month period, and another upon leave being refused fell sick on the very day for which the approval was withheld”, he disclosed.
According to the AG, two medical certificates were submitted by the employee who fell ill and these were signed by a now deceased medical practitioner.
He said that the doctor had certified that he had examined that officer “yet on the relevant dates was out of the country”.
Ramson said that such was the situation which had confronted him since his resumption of office.
He noted that action was being taken against both of “these persons” but pointed out that the medical practitioner died before any action could be taken against him.
The chamber is in the process of filling major vacancies, Ramson said, which is aimed at achieving a higher level of efficiency and production.
He said that two of the current senior legal officers have recently being promoted to Deputy Solicitor General and Public Trustee and Official Receiver respectively.
He said too that more pieces of legislation had been drafted and passed in the National Assembly from February to “today’s date than the whole of 2008”. He noted that the Modernization of Justice Administration Sector programme which is aimed at reforming the justice sector is somewhat behind schedule, but that they are hoping to make up for the delay shortly.
Further, the AG said that he was disappointed at the “negative press” about him even before he was sworn in on February 6, 2009.
He said that reporters need to offer more balanced news items.
“I was pleasantly surprised when I demitted office in May 2001 to have received a special certificate of commendation from the President which is so invaluable to me that it has never been seen in public”, Ramson added.
Ramson succeeded former AG and Minister of Legal Affairs Doodnauth Singh who resigned earlier this year. Singh was appointed AG shortly after Ramson left office.
