For the first time in 16 years, Jamaica is to have a new director of public prosecutions (DPP) with an interim director to be appointed today.

The development comes as the longstanding DPP, Paula Llewelyn, who was appointed in March 2008 and who had previous extensions to her tenure, reportedly decided to step aside.

Her decision follows last Friday’s bombshell ruling by the Constitutional Court that a second extension granted to her by the Andrew Holness-led Administration, following an amendment to the Jamaican Constitution, was unconstitutional.

The court validated an amendment to the Constitution in July last year, which raised the retirement age for the DPP from 60 to 65 years, determining it to be valid. However, it struck down a provision that allowed Llewellyn to choose to continue in office as “unconstitutional, null and void and of no legal effect”.

The 63-year-old Llewelyn had previously been granted an extension when she turned 60.

The Public Service Commission (PSC) will name the interim DPP today, its first order of business after it was reconvened on Sunday after its tenure had expired on March 31.

https://jamaica.loopnews.com/content/interim-dpp-be-named-today