94 percent cut in legal fees

Attorney General Faris Al-Rawi
Attorney General Faris Al-Rawi

Attorney General Faris Al-Rawi on Monday disclosed that his ministry has been able to reduce expenditure on legal fees for local attorneys by 94 percent. Al-Rawi made this disclosure during the Standing Finance Committee meeting of the House of Representatives on the 2017/2018 budget.

He explained the reduction occurred, “by using the Solicitor General and Chief State Solicitor’s office more efficiently.” Al-Rawi also said this reduced expenditure represents six percent of the year on year spending by his predecessors Anand Ramlogan and Garvin Nicholas. He said his ministry has used part of a $10 million sum to clear legal arrears from the former People’s Partnership government. Al-Rawi said these arrears amounted to $1.34 million, “of inherited fees.”

He indicated that his ministry’s expenditure in 2016 was $68 million and this figure fell to $50 million for 2017. Al-Rawi said the 2017 revised estimates put this figure at $47 million and for 2018, the figure is $40 million. “That actual amount of $50 million would have been spent by the end of year,” he said. Within this amount, Al-Rawi said there is a payment of approximately $38 million to external entities and specifically for the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).

He also said $700,000 was allocated to the Police Complaints Authority to help that body improve its efficiency.

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