Opposition Legislative Affairs spokesman John Barritt is demanding hard answers after a spate of high-level resignations in the Department of Public Prosecutions (DPP).

He fears defence lawyers could be getting the upper hand with the exodus and has called for experienced local lawyers to be pressed into service.

Yesterday it was revealed that Crown counsel Sandra Bacchus would be leaving this week -- nearly a year before her contract is up -- while Senior Crown counsel Brian Calhoun gave clear hints that he was on his way out.

He told the Court of Appeal yesterday: "This may very well be my last time before you.'' The news follows the departure of Senior Crown counsel Peter Eccles, who slammed the DPP for worrying over whether prosecuting criminal cases would be politically popular.

Mr. Barritt said: "At the moment, it looks like a serious mismatch between the defence bar and the DPP.'' "It looks very much like the DPP is grossly understaffed both in numbers and in terms of counsel with experience. I am asking what steps, if any, have been taken.

"I am trying to find out what the situation is. With various resignations of senior people there is a void at that level.

"I don't want to be seen as running off at the mouth and heightening alarm and concern.

"And I don't want to get into an overly critical mode. I just think they should look into hiring local counsel to prosecute on a case-by-case basis.

"They do this in other jurisdictions, there aren't the overheads associated with full-time salaries.

"Hopefully local counsel will take part.'' The United Bermuda Party have tabled Parliamentary questions which Mr. Barritt hopes to get answered next week.

The UBP want to know how many legal counsel will be working in the department at the start of July, the number of years' experience in the Bermuda Bar and the number who are qualified to work in the Supreme Court and the Court of Appeal.

The UBP also wants to know what steps are being taken to fill the vacancies and whether the DPP is considering hiring local defence lawyers on an ad hoc basis to fill in.

Calls from The Royal Gazette to Director Of Public Prosecutions Khamisi Tokunbo were not returned.

Mr. Calhoun's probable departure was greeted with sorrow by Daffydd Hermann-Smith, who paid tribute to the prosecution lawyer's skill in convicting David Dill, who stabbed Mr. Hermann-Smith after breaking into his home in April last year (See story below).

Experience `will be missed' Yesterday Dill failed to get the conviction quashed and Mr. Hermann-Smith told how Mr. Calhoun had originally won what was considered a difficult case.

Mr. Hermann-Smith said: "Mr. Calhoun told me there was a 20 percent chance of winning it.

"It's a tremendous loss of experience when your Senior Crown counsel goes and they've lost so many from that department recently.

"I am very grateful to Mr. Calhoun -- he'll be really missed.'' Appeal Court Judge Alan Huggins is also bowing out of the local legal scene.

Mr. Huggins is employed until the end of the year but Appeal Court Head Sir James Astwood said yesterday's session may well be Mr. Huggins' last. Sir James praised him for his wisdom and self-effacing manner.