Lawyers should be probed

The General Legal Council needs to look into the matter of lawyers adjourning cases for too long without a valid reason. There has been a particular case at the Half-Way Tree courthouse since 2006 and I have accompanied the accused at all times.

The prosecutor has advised since 2007 that the file is complete and each time the individual goes to court, he has to pay the lawyer. He keeps on asking his lawyer to start the trial. He claims that he is not ready.

He has already paid a retainer, so he cannot afford to pay another fee in order to retain another lawyer, as he is unemployed at present.

I think the prosecutors and the judges should insist that when a file is complete, the trial should begin immediately and stop clogging up the justice system.

Some of these lawyers are only using strategy to collect more money from clients and do not necessarily have clients' interests at heart.

- Annif Brown

A_brown@gmail.com

12 Central Avenue

Kingston 5

Bauxite's downside

Living in an area where bauxite mining has taken place, having gone through the ordeal of dust and noise, seeing what the 'reclaimed' lands look like, I don't like the bauxite industry. Naturally, those who only see the foreign exchange see things quite differently.

Equally, those who work in this industry do get the opportunity to more easily afford many of life's basic amenities and would, therefore, have fond views of the industry.

I do understand that the downturn in this industry is hurting people financially and I don't want to be insensitive to this fact. But, might we take this time to revisit this whole bauxite thing? This is a finite resource. One day there will be no more bauxite to mine. What are we going to do then? Perhaps we should start doing that now. Or is that the concern of some future generation?

- Charles EvansCharock01@yahoo.com