The keys to the building which will soon become the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions were handed over yesterday to Attorney General Reginald Armour after he received them from Minister of Finance Colm Imbert.
The Office of the Attorney General and Ministry of Legal Affairs (AGLA) in a statement issued said that the keys to the First Citizens Bank building on St Vincent Street were handed over from the Finance Minister.
The AGLA revealed that the building will accommodate the expansion of the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).
The statement read: “This marks a significant milestone in the journey toward enhanced operational capacity, equipping the DPP’s Office with the necessary tools to continue upholding justice and effectively serving the citizens of Trinidad and Tobago.”
It further stated that refurbishment works will begin soon to outfit the building with the necessary human and physical resources to foster greater efficiency and collaboration in the DPP’s vital mission.
When asked by Guardian Media about a timeframe for the completion of the refurbishment process, Attorney General Armour refrained from providing specifics but offered reassurance.
“The handover of keys today (Friday) allows us to begin appraising the refurbishment needs in consultation with the DPP’s requests and guidance. I can only say that we are committed to expediting this process,” he said.
Meanwhile, DPP Roger Gaspard welcomed the development. “This should, upon completion, help resolve our spatial challenges,” he told Guardian Media.
This latest progress follows a public impasse between Attorney General Armour and DPP Gaspard over a previously identified building on Park Street, Port-of-Spain. During the Standing Finance Committee meeting after the 2024 Budget, Attorney General Armour disclosed that $55 million in rental fees had been paid for the Park Street building since 2019, but the DPP and his staff had never moved in, citing security concerns.
At one point, Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley also criticised the DPP for not occupying the building.
However, former Attorney General Ramesh Lawrence Maharaj, SC, defended Gaspard and his staff’s decision, stating that after conducting an independent investigation, he concluded the DPP should not be blamed for the expenses incurred on the building.