going ahead yesterday and could put a halt to other cases slated to begin this month.

Clifton Hopeton Morrison, who is accused of importing liquid cocaine in rum bottles, yesterday exercised his right to have a pool of 36 possible jurors from which to pick the 12 that will judge his case.

But only 19 people presented themselves for selection at the start of his trial yesterday morning.

Puisne Judge Norma Wade-Miller explained what she called "a hiccup'' to the possible jurors and adjourned the case until May 1.

A pool of possible jurors is selected randomly from the voters registration list every two months.

Supreme Court registrar Charlene Scott said the number chosen is normally sufficient and described yesterday's occurrence as unusual.

She attributed the problem to several people being excused due to their scheduled commitments, including planned vacations, and that another trial was underway tying up 12 jurors.

The trial of Tony Bukhari got underway yesterday at 9.30 a.m. and Ms Scott said the Morrison trial would have begun had it been scheduled first.

Yesterday's "hiccup'' was one of many Morrison has faced in his Supreme Court proceedings.

He was jailed for 12 years last June on charges of cocaine importation and possession with intent to supply but his conviction was quashed at the Court of Appeal and a retrial was ordered after it was found Mrs. Justice Wade-Miller "misdirected'' the jury.

The retrial began on March 13 but had to be adjourned when, first, his lawyer's mother died, then the mother of the judge.

The case was slated to resume on March 27 but Mrs. Justice Wade-Miller stopped it entirely after learning a member of the jury would be excused from April 3 and noting Morrison's insistence that he be tried by a jury of 12, not 11.

A new pool of possible jurors will be picked for May 1 and Morrison's retrial has been laid down for that date.

But the dwindled number of jurors could also halt another case due to start next week. Alleged cannabis importers Otis Burt Ingham, David Stephen Ottley and Noel McDonald Ottley are due to go to trial on April 10.