Christie Says Criminal Advocates Should Be QCs

Mr. Christie, who spoke to the Bahama Journal yesterday, said he canvassed the issue during his time as the country’s prime minister.

"When the issue came up with me I recognized that the most prominent of them all is [former Attorney General] Paul Adderley and when I discussed it with him, he said he had no interest whatsoever and I felt that way about Governor General A.D. Hanna as well and so I never went beyond that," he said.

"With respect to these appointments, given the fact that it is in the law and the recommendation I presume was made from the office of the Attorney General, I would have thought, as I still do, that at some stage or the other, sooner rather than later that there [would] be a more diverse grouping coming in."

Mr. Christie’s comments came a day after Government House announced that eight prominent attorneys had been appointed Queen’s Counsels.

In a press statement released to the media Wednesday evening, Government House confirmed that attorneys Colin Callender, Emerick Knowles, Brian Moree, Philip Dunkley, Brian Simms, Sean McWeeny, Frederick Smith and John Delaney, have all been appointed Her Majesty’s Counsel.

In order to qualify for Her Majesty’s Counsel, one usually has to serve as a barrister or solicitor for at least ten years.

"I am thinking of persons who have made their name at the criminal bar and are known advocates in the court like Elliot Lockhart who served as a judge and Wayne Munroe," Mr. Christie said on Thursday.

"I know that [attorney and Progressive Liberal Party Deputy Leader Philip] ‘Brave’ Davis has been recommended . . . and Maurice Glinton similarly but these are people who the average man would obviously think of, those who they see in the courts as was the case when Henry Bostwick and Thomas Evans when they were named."

The PLP leader added that he feels the selections should be "more balanced."

"I think in the final analysis to ensure that there is a healthy class of QCs, a few additional names should come forth to ensure that the questions are minimized if not stopped," Mr. Christie said.