accused of murdering a compatriot in the British Virgin Islands.

The Royal Gazette can reveal that Mr. Hector will fly to Tortola, BVI this week to begin preparation of the case for William Labrador who is charged with the murder of Lois Livingstone McMillen on January 14, 2000.

Fellow Americans Alexander Benedetto, Michael Spicer and Evan George are also charged with murder and for perverting the course of justice and for being accessories after the fact.

The men have been in custody without bail since their arrests shortly after the murder of the New York woman.

The case has attracted international media interests, particularly in the US.

Mr. Hector said yesterday: "Yes, I'm going down this week to do some preliminary work on his case.

"I will be called to the Bar down there and I'll do some work on the case. I was retained about a month ago.'' A trial date will be set for the men in March.

Meanwhile Mr. Hector yesterday told Rotarians that Bermuda is "well on the way'' to having all new courts, a court reporting system, and new judges to bolster respect for the Island's justice system.

Speaking at the weekly luncheon at Tuscany's Restaurant he admitted he became "unpopular'' with the Progressive Labour Party Government for presenting a petition publicly to Parliament in protest of the lack of modernisation.

But he praised the PLP for pressing forward with court modernisation, saying: "I think the new Government deserves praise for grappling with some of the problems in a timely fashion.

"But in addition to commending them we must continue to be vigilant and to be ready to assist in the further required improvement of our judicial system,'' Mr. Hector added.

Once an active Rotarian, Mr. Hector is a British Guiana (now Guyana) born, University of London graduate who was first called to the Bar in London in 1964.

He worked for the Greater London Council before returning to now independent Guyana in 1967 as a Crown counsel and legal advisor to the government.

In 1972 he came to Bermuda as the Island's first full-time Crown counsel, working under the Attorney General who, in the past, had handled cases on his own or farmed out work to private lawyers.

Mr. Hector became the Senior Magistrate in 1976, gained Bermuda Status before the decade was over and went into private practice in 1982.

Hector takes on BVI case "For too long many of the so-called right thinking members of our community gave little thought to our justice system and our judicial system,'' he told Rotarians.

`It was thought that for the most part courts are to deal with the comparatively small criminal element in our society,'' he continued. "After all, how many of us on a regular basis have anything to do with courts of law.'' In recent years he said more attention has been placed on "this important and integral cornerstone of our society''.

"Indeed,'' he continued, "any civilised society worthy of the name should have as its ideal a foundation of law, respected by the government as well as the people.'' The current system of judges taking handwritten notes in courtrooms that have not been renovated or remodelled in decades dampens respect from the public and individuals, he claimed.

The Island needs "adequate'' court facilities and lawyers and that they are "properly regulated'', Mr. Hector said.

"We should have access to judicial decisions in the form of Bermuda Law Reports to which attorneys and other interested persons can refer for judgments of the Supreme Court and Court of Appeal,'' he added.

"If we do not adequately address these needs there will be inevitably a loss of public confidence in our system and that could be disastrous for Bermuda.'' There should never be an instance where parties in a civil trial like the BFM and the still before the courts Thyssen case contribute money for court reporting and creating decent courtrooms.

Mr. Hector explained: "If people avoid our courts there would be fewer court decisions and judgments leading to a lack of clarity in Bermuda law.

"Last, but not least, Bermuda will continue to be the laughing stock of the region by being referred to as being in the dark ages as far as its judicial system is concerned.'' Mr. Hector said he was "particularly pleased'' with the PLP's election promises on the courts and their first Throne Speech, but became "a little impatient'' -- which prompted the petition.

"I am happy to tell you that the petition prompted an almost immediate response from the Hon. Terry Lister on June 4, 1999 and the result has been that court reporting in Bermuda will be a reality in a few months,'' he added.

"Funds have been provided, systems have been selected and I attended a meeting recently when we considered amending the legislation required to formally put it into effect.'' Mr. Hector also called for a Judicial Services Commission of professionals which would appoint judges and magistrates to address issues of filling posts.

Such a commission would also address better remuneration for judges and turn its attention to attracting Bermudians.

Richard Hector