The Tribune

ATTORNEY General Ryan Pinder announced yesterday that Cordell Frazier had been appointed Acting Director of Public Prosecutions, replacing the previous DPP Garvin Gaskin.

“Ms Frazier is an eminently qualified and dedicated public servant, who brings a wealth of legal knowledge and prosecutorial experience to the position,” Mr Pinder said. “Ms Frazier’s steadfast commitment to justice and her extensive background in law makes her well-prepared to take on this significant responsibility. I have every confidence in her ability to navigate the intricacies of this position.

“At this same time, we recognise the contributions of Mr Garvin Gaskin, whose tenure as Director of Public Prosecutions has reached its conclusion. Mr Gaskin’s leadership, professionalism, and unwavering commitment to public service has left a lasting impact on our justice system. On behalf of the people of The Bahamas, we extend our gratitude to Mr Gaskin for his years of service as DPP. We are confident that Ms Frazier, building on the strong foundation laid by Mr Gaskin, will continue to uphold the highest standards of justice and integrity as she assumes her new role as Acting Director of Public Prosecutions. We wish both Ms Frazier and Mr Gaskin the best in their future endeavours and look forward to seeing the continued growth and development of our justice system.”

Mr Gaskin was the first DPP appointed after a law was passed in 2018 to establish an independent Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions.

The Constitution (Amendment) Bill 2017 empowered the DPP to “institute and undertake criminal proceedings against any person before any court in respect of any offence against the law of The Bahamas; to take over and continue any such criminal proceedings that may have been instituted by any other person or authority; to discontinue, at any stage before judgment is delivered, any such criminal proceedings instituted or undertaken by himself or any other person or authority.”

The law was not passed without its critics. The attorney general can still direct the DPP to make certain decisions on matters relating to three categories: public policy, national security and international obligations of The Bahamas. Critics said these categories are broad and vague, providing a loophole through which administrations can undermine the independence of the DPP.