Senator Kim Wilson is working alongside Attorneys General from other Overseas Territories to discuss the difficulty of selecting impartial juries in small countries like Bermuda, where the pool for prospective jurors is limited.

Ms Wilson told the Senate yesterday that the jury system in Bermuda and its fellow colonies was an important item of business at the Conference of the British Overseas Territories Attorneys-General, which took place in Anguilla in late May.

She told The Royal Gazette that the selection of impartial juries is more of a problem experienced by other overseas territories.

"Our problem in Bermuda has more to do with the small jury pool which is the primary reason I will be presenting legislation next term to expand the jury pool by amending the Juries Act," she said.

Ms Wilson updated the Senate on other talking points from the conference, which included the creation of a regional witness protection programme.

"The other overseas territories and Bermuda are all taking steps to pass legislation which will establish witness protection scenes which can in certain circumstances see witnesses relocated to other OTC jurisdictions prior to court appearances," she told The Royal Gazette following her Ministerial Statement.

"It is my intention to table the Justice Protection Bill which provides for the above, in addition to other things in November. As you know the first step in setting the balls in motion regarding witnesses was the establishment of the Witness Support Unit."

Other subjects discussed at the conference include alternatives to jail time for criminals, particularly juveniles and the mentally disabled.

The three-day event was also attended by Attorneys General from host country Anguilla, the British Virgin Islands, the Cayman Islands, the Falkland Islands, Montserrat and Turks and Caicos.