criticising the Attorney General's decision to employ a foreign junior crown counsel to prosecute Operation Cleansweep drugs cases.

BBC spokesman Ian Kawaley said that they were "seriously concerned'' about the implications that surround that decision.

Earlier this week, the BPSA and the National Liberal Party voiced their disapproval against the hiring of Crown Counsel Charles Gratwicke, an Englishman.

Yesterday Mr. Kawaley hit out: "It is difficult to see how it can be necessary to fly in a foreign junior counsel to prosecute, in the Magistrates' Courts, cases which are supposedly so simple that legal aid is being refused in principle to all the defendants who are often representing themselves.

"There are several competent attorneys in private practice capable of prosecuting major cases in the Supreme Court, not to mention the Magistrates' Court.

"At least two Bermudian QCs have many years experience of prosecution work in the Bermuda courts at Magistrates' Court and Supreme Court levels including drug prosecutions far more complex than those currently before the courts.'' Mr. Kawaley also took aim at the decision to refuse legal aid to Cleansweep defendants where sentences in excess of three years are routinely being handed out. "While (legal aid in criminal cases) is not an absolute right,'' he said. "It is startling to see unrepresented defendants being prosecuted by foreign counsel from abroad.'' Defence lawyers Marc Telemaque and Philip Perinchief have also voiced concern about the ability of defendants arrested under Cleansweep to get a fair trial.

Earlier this week, BPSA acting general secretary Edward Ball attacked Mr.

Gratwicke's hiring.

"It is, indeed, unfortunate that Bermudian and contract barristers in the Attorney General's Chambers are thought to be too inexperienced to successfully present the Crown's cases.'' And NLP chairman Charles Jeffers added: "Once again non-confidence in Bermudians' abilities to do the jobs that need to be done is being expressed.

We should be alarmed.''