Salary levels for top jobs at the Department of Public Prosecutions (DPP) should be "reviewed'' in a bid to attract more local talent, Shadow Legislative Affairs Minister John Barritt has suggested.

And, while he emphasised he was not trying to make a "political football'' out of the issue, Mr. Barritt criticised Director of Public Prosecutions Khamisi Tokunbo for not moving fast enough in trying to find replacements for Senior Crown counsels.

He also expressed confusion at news that the chief prosecutor was seeking applications from the United States.

"That is surprising, because only members of the UK ommonwealth bar are eligible to practise law here,'' he said.

Mr. Tokunbo did not return phone calls.

Since February this year, five prosecutors have left the chambers and three of the posts are still outstanding -- one of them, Mr. Tokunbo's second in command.

The Royal Gazette reported that the chief prosecutor had received 18 applications for the jobs from attorneys with a "range of experience'' in the Caribbean, America, Australia and Canada.

Mr. Tokunbo said: "The interviews are being scheduled now. All the logistics are being arranged.'' He added: "I imagine we will have more applications coming in.'' While Mr. Barritt said it was clear Mr. Tokunbo was "working to fill places'', he asked why it had taken so long to get around to it.

"It's not as if it came as a surprise that the others were leaving,'' he said. "I can't understand why the DPP is in the position it is.

"The last thing we need or want is any erosion in confidences in the prosecutorial arm of the law.'' Mr. Barritt said it was clear that, as far as Bermudians were concerned, "there's never been any rush to join the DPP''.

He suggested: "Maybe the time has come to look at salary levels for the Senior Crown counsel jobs and review them.'' He also echoed his recommendation to employ private practising lawyers as prosecutors "on a case-by-case basis''.

Earlier this month, Mr. Barritt said his fears about the lack of strength in the DPP were confirmed when Attorney General Dame Lois Browne Evans told the House of Assembly that only two of the six counsel had five years of experience working on the Bermuda Bar.

And she said two of the six were in their first year of practice.

John Barritt