Commercial Task Force to be Set Up in Attorney General’s Chambers

The Government is to establish a Commercial Task Force within the Attorney General’s Chambers, aimed at providing legal advice on potential strategic investment projects.

Attorney General, Hon. Patrick Atkinson, made the disclosure during his contribution to the 2013/2014 Sectoral Debate in the House on May 29.

He noted that Jamaica is poised to receive a significant volume of new investments, which will bring with them Memorandum of Understanding, contracts, legal issues to navigate and legal questions to be answered.

“That Task Force will tackle the urgent and important legal advice and assistance linked to strategic investment projects that are expected. The objective will be to expedite those matters. Of course we recognize that effectiveness and soundness is essential in legal advice and assistance,” Mr. Atkinson said.

He emphasised that the Attorney General’s Chambers will ensure that quality is not “sacrificed on the altar of speed, as down the road, very few things are as unnecessary and as costly as remedial litigation.”

Currently there are 41 legal positions in the Chambers, 39 of which are currently filled. Among 39 lawyers, there are well over 7,000 case files of which over 3000 are litigation cases in the courts.

“It is a hard road that we travel because of the sheer volume of the work, but we will soldier on,” the Attorney General said.

Contact: Latonya Linton