Montserrat Represented at Caribbean DPPs Virtual Conference

Montserrat’s Director of Public Prosecutions was among regional counterparts who last week discussed some of the current difficulties and challenges they collectively face, as organized crime groups exploit structural vulnerabilities and benefit from the ongoing Covid-19 crisis.

DPP Oris Sullivan was accompanied by Crown Counsel Kristen Taylor-Hilton at the January 28th-29th virtual meeting.

Conference delegates heard from regional and international experts on a range of issues, including the resumption of trials after Covid-19 and vulnerable witnesses in serious crime and sexual exploitation cases, recognizing the impact on children as online and offline sexual abuse increased.

The conference also discussion trials held with judges alone, in the light of the ban on jury trials during the pandemic, and a wellness session on productivity and managing stress.

Meantime, Criminal Justice Adviser to Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean Sirah Abraham, whose post is funded by the United States of America and the United Kingdom, lauded the conference as yet another demonstration of the US’s and UK’s commitment to supporting the role of the DPP, especially in the context of the challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Representatives of some 18 Caribbean islands, to include, Barbados, the OECS territories of Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia and St Vincent and the Grenadines, Jamaica, Guyana, Trinidad and Tobago, Bahamas, Belize and the British Overseas Territories, attended the conference.

Photo Credit: www.nowgrenada.com
Crown Counsel Kristen Taylor-Hilton found in 2nd column from the left, 2nd row from the top