The Attorney General's Chambers' long-awaited takeover of Police prosecutions is on hold, a Police spokesperson revealed yesterday.

In November, then-Solicitor General Barrie Meade said prosecutors had been hired and the AG's Chambers were up to strength for assuming the additional duties.

But yesterday Crown counsel JoDina Pearman revealed that people were still being trained for the move.

She would not disclose who was being trained but said until it was completed "nothing would move''.

The spokesperson added that the takeover would also not occur until the new Criminal Justice Information System (CJIS) was implemented.

She said she had received no information about what was causing the delay.

"I was hired for that purpose (of handling prosecutions), and to give you an idea of how long it's been, I've been here for three years,'' she noted.

"I don't know what the holdup is, but it's been dragging on and dragging on.'' Attorney General Elliott Mottley told The Royal Gazette yesterday that he could not estimate when the changes would be permanently in effect.

"We haven't got enough permanent office space yet for everyone to be in place,'' said Mr. Motley.

"Right now, some of the Crown counsels like Leighton Rochester and Leslie Basden have been doing some of the prosecutions,'' he added.

"But until the computers and the infrastructure is in place, we won't be ready.'' He mentioned there was additional training that needed to be completed, but most were ready to start.

CJIS will link the courts with Police stations, the Transport Control Department, prisons, and the Attorney General's Chambers. Part of it has already been implemented.

Traffic wardens started using hand-held computers, called autocites, last September to issue tickets. They can download that information to Magistrates' Court where the tickets will be registered.

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