Acting Opposition Leader Patricia Gordon-Pamplin has accused Premier Ewart Brown of micromanaging and not trusting his colleagues after he kept both Transport and Tourism while also taking some legal aspects off the Attorney General in his new Cabinet.

Premier Brown has not answered questions about his decision to scrap the Ministry of Justice and give himself responsibility for the judiciary, legislature and the Department of Public Prosecution (DPP).

The Attorney General formerly had control of those departments and was also the Minister of Justice but the role has been reduced, meaning new AG Kim Wilson only has the AG's Chambers in her portfolio.

A Government spokesman told The Royal Gazette that the deA Government spokesman told The Royal Gazette that the departments which used to fall under the Ministry of Justice had been transferred to the Cabinet Office — for which Dr. Brown has responsibility — "purely for administrative purposes".

But yesterday Mrs Gordon-Pamplin said: "He's kept Transport and Tourism as well. It seems like a heavy load for the Premier to be carrying. It would suggest he does not have faith in his colleagues in Cabinet to do an effective job.

"In my estimation he's chosen people he can't trust to do whatever he is doing. The Premier ought to delegate as opposed to be micromanaging."

But she said she did not see anything sinister in the Premier taking on responsibility for the judiciary, legislature and the DPP as they were autonomous bodies.

The decision to take the legal portfolios was not announced at the swearing-in of the new Cabinet at Government House on Thursday. Sen. Wilson had said she was unsure whether she was the new Minister of Justice.

The disappearance of that Ministry only became apparent to this newspaper when a breakdown of the new Ministerial responsibilities was provided late Wednesday night.

E-mailed questions to Dr. Brown's press secretary about his reasons for the change got no response.

Constitional lawyer Tim Marshall said the judiciary, legislature and DPP's office were all independent bodies which could not be controlled by the Premier under the Constitution.

And he said it would be foolish to tighten the Budget purse string as a means of exercising influence.

Mr. Marshall added: "The question is why is the Premier who has a politically-appointed AG reserving for himself subjects which naturally fit within the office and expertise of the AG?

"From the appearance perspective it simply looks bad, particularly in circumstances when the Premier's administration was rightly or wrongly been dogged by allegations of corruption.

"I think to the outside world it might look what he's seeking to do is to control the offices and institutions that investigate and prosecute corruption.

"That might not have been his intention but that is the interpretation that many people are going to have."

Newly-elected Opposition MP Mark Pettingill, a lawyer, said the move suggested the Premier was a leader who wanted as much control as he could get.

"Considering his own recent experiences with the judiciary, I'm not surprised that he would want to exact as much control in that area as he can," he said. "Most of the things that this Premier does or says disturbs me and this one doesn't come as any surprise."

A Government spokesman said: "In keeping with the Government's commitment to streamline Ministries and to enable the Attorney General to focus more on the provision of advice to the Government, the departments previously part of the Ministry of Justice are transferred to the Cabinet Office purely for administrative purposes and will function identically.

"The Cabinet Office will be responsible for the funding and other purely administrative matters ensuring that the independence of this and other departments is preserved."

Former AG Philip Perinchief had been in charge of the judiciary, legislature, DPP, court services and legal aid before he lost his Cabinet post this week.