Tweet
Edmond Campbell, Senior Staff Reporter
IN FOUR of the eight legal challenges mounted by individuals or groups against the three-year-old Bruce Golding administration, the law firm Livingston, Alexander and Levy - often assisted by attorney Richard Small - was retained to defend the Government, at a total projected cost of $13.8 million.
Prime Minister Bruce Golding on Tuesday provided details on the number of private attorneys-at-law used to represent the State.
He was responding to questions posed by Central Kingston Member of Parliament Ronald Thwaites.
Four members of the Public Service Commission who were sacked by Golding in 2007 for misbehaviour had taken the prime minister to court seeking judicial review to quash that decision.
In the matter of Daisy Coke, Edwin Jones, Mike Fennel, Pauline Findlay versus Bruce Golding and the attorney general, the firm Livingston, Alexander and Levy and Richard Small were retained.
Golding told his colleagues that the law firm was used because germane to the matter before the court was the appointment as solicitor general of a member of the same department.
"It would not have been appropriate, therefore, for state attorneys of that department to act in the matter," Golding outlined.
The company was paid $3.7 million.
In a related court challenge involving Portia Simpson Miller versus Bruce Golding and the attorney general, Livingston, Alexander and Levy and Richard Small represented the Government and were paid $3.4 million.
The prime minister also disclosed that the Government paid Livingston, Alexander and Levy $4.2 million to represent the Attorney General's Department in a court challenge by the Legal Officers Staff Association (LOSA).
He said the firm was engaged to represent the department to avoid issues of conflict of interest.
Some lawyers from the attorney general's chamber are members of LOSA.
In an arbitration matter between Island Woods Development Limited and the Ministry of Education over work done on the Morant Bay High School, Livingston, Alexander and Levy was contracted and will be paid $2.5 million for its services.
Solicitor General hands full
According to Golding, the law firm was retained because Solicitor General Douglas Leys was at the time engaged in two other arbitration matters.
Meanwhile, Paul Beswick of Ballantyne, Beswick and Company along with Dr Lloyd Barnett and Dr Adolph Edwards were also contracted to represent the Govern-ment. Projected costs are not yet finalised.
Barnett and Edwards were also retained to represent the attorney general in matters relating to the extradition treaty between Jamaica and the United States.
"The fees have not yet been determined as the application has been withdrawn," said Golding.
edmond.campbell@gleanerjm.com
http://jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/2...ews/news1.html
IN FOUR of the eight legal challenges mounted by individuals or groups against the three-year-old Bruce Golding administration, the law firm Livingston, Alexander and Levy - often assisted by attorney Richard Small - was retained to defend the Government, at a total projected cost of $13.8 million.
Prime Minister Bruce Golding on Tuesday provided details on the number of private attorneys-at-law used to represent the State.
He was responding to questions posed by Central Kingston Member of Parliament Ronald Thwaites.
Four members of the Public Service Commission who were sacked by Golding in 2007 for misbehaviour had taken the prime minister to court seeking judicial review to quash that decision.
In the matter of Daisy Coke, Edwin Jones, Mike Fennel, Pauline Findlay versus Bruce Golding and the attorney general, the firm Livingston, Alexander and Levy and Richard Small were retained.
Golding told his colleagues that the law firm was used because germane to the matter before the court was the appointment as solicitor general of a member of the same department.
"It would not have been appropriate, therefore, for state attorneys of that department to act in the matter," Golding outlined.
The company was paid $3.7 million.
In a related court challenge involving Portia Simpson Miller versus Bruce Golding and the attorney general, Livingston, Alexander and Levy and Richard Small represented the Government and were paid $3.4 million.
The prime minister also disclosed that the Government paid Livingston, Alexander and Levy $4.2 million to represent the Attorney General's Department in a court challenge by the Legal Officers Staff Association (LOSA).
He said the firm was engaged to represent the department to avoid issues of conflict of interest.
Some lawyers from the attorney general's chamber are members of LOSA.
In an arbitration matter between Island Woods Development Limited and the Ministry of Education over work done on the Morant Bay High School, Livingston, Alexander and Levy was contracted and will be paid $2.5 million for its services.
Solicitor General hands full
According to Golding, the law firm was retained because Solicitor General Douglas Leys was at the time engaged in two other arbitration matters.
Meanwhile, Paul Beswick of Ballantyne, Beswick and Company along with Dr Lloyd Barnett and Dr Adolph Edwards were also contracted to represent the Govern-ment. Projected costs are not yet finalised.
Barnett and Edwards were also retained to represent the attorney general in matters relating to the extradition treaty between Jamaica and the United States.
"The fees have not yet been determined as the application has been withdrawn," said Golding.
edmond.campbell@gleanerjm.com
http://jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/2...ews/news1.html
Comment