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As a public authority, the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions is committed to openness, transparency and serving the public interest in compliance with the Freedom of Information Law, 2007. The Freedom of Information (FOI) Law was passed on 19th October 2007 and comes into effect in January 2009. It gives the public a right of access to all types of records held by public authorities, but also sets out some exemptions from that right.
Publication Schemes
Each public authority covered by the Freedom of Information Law has a legal duty to
adopt and maintain a publication scheme in accordance with s. 5 of the FOI Law. The main
purpose of a publication scheme is to make information readily available without the need for specific written requests. E-Publication Schemes are intended to encourage organizations to publish proactively, and develop a greater culture of openness.
The Law states that Information to be published by public authorities includes:-
- the departments and agencies of the authority.
- the functions of the authority, what work it does and how it sets about its tasks.
- the name and title of the Principal Officer and other key officers within the authority and their business addresses.
- Classes of records held.
- the subjects handled by each department or authority, with the locations
of the departments and agencies and the opening hours of all offices. - Manuals, interpretations, rules, guidelines, practices or precedents.
Please check our document library and disclosure log to see if the information you would like is already available.
Functions of Public Authority
Criminal Matters
The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions prosecutes all matters in the Summary Court and the Grand Court. The division is also responsible for criminal appeals which are heard by the Court of Appeal of the Cayman Islands. The Chambers has also become more involved in prosecutions brought by other bodies such as the Department of Labour, Planning and Superintendent of Pensions. It has also undertaken responsibility for the prosecution of cases in the Traffic Court. The Chambers has ultimate responsibility for all prosecutions in the Islands and the department does take over these prosecutions if requested, or if the matter is of great public interest.
The criminal section also decides whether individuals should be prosecuted and rules on what charges should be laid for all investigative bodies, including the Department of Immigration. Crown Counsel also provide advice to law enforcement officers on law and procedure, as well as assist in the training of new recruits.
International Division
In 2004, the International Division was formally implemented with the advent of the Criminal Justice (International Cooperation) Law (2004 Revision) (CJICL). This new law enables mutual legal assistance to be provided at the investigative stage of a matter where the conduct would constitute an offense in the Cayman Islands. The Director of Public Prosecutions, as the Central Authority under the Law, may provide assistance to those countries that are party to the Vienna Convention as well as those countries that are listed in the Schedule to the Law. The nature of the assistance offered may include assistance in the form of restraint/confiscation and forfeiture applications as well as gathering of evidence and extradition. The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, under its international remit, also provides assistance in child abduction matters under the relevant Hague Convention.
Governing Legislation and Regulations
The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions is constituted by section 57 of the Cayman Islands (Constitution) Order (2010).
Information already published
These manuals relate to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions;
1. Hurricane Preparedness Plan;
2. Policy & Procedures Manual.
Budget Allocated to the Public Authority
Link to Budget
The budget allocated to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions for the year 2011/12 is CI$2,569,550.00
