Archie Warner yesterday about the pace of court proceedings after the deportation of co-accused Alphonso Holder was put on hold.

Roberts, 39, said he had already been waiting a month when Mr. Warner informed him that the Crown had asked for a two week adjournment because it was not ready to file papers.

"I still don't know what I'm charged with,'' said Roberts.

Magistrate Warner asked whether the charges had been read to him and Roberts admitted that they had been.

"But, I don't know any amounts or anything,'' he said before defence lawyer Richard Hector agreed to the adjournment on behalf of partner Mark Pettingill.

Mr. Pettingill is representing both Roberts and Alphonso Cyril Holder, 36, a St. Vincent national who was recommended for deportation by Magistrate Warner last month after he pleaded guilty to entering the country illegally.

"Didn't I deport Mr. Holder?'' Mr. Warner asked Senior Crown counsel Dorien Taylor yesterday.

"Yes,'' said Mr. Taylor, "but due to information from the ongoing investigation the Attorney General said no deportation was appropriate in these circumstances.'' But Mr. Warner pointed out the Attorney General couldn't override an order of deportation. "I recommended to the Governor for deportation, I don't think the Attorney General has that kind of power.'' "Ah, the Attorney General advised his Excellency,'' Mr. Taylor clarified.

"Otherwise there would be no separation of powers.'' "But the Attorney General didn't advise me,'' said Mr. Warner before adjourning the matter for two weeks, extending bail for Roberts and remanding Holder to custody.

Holder told Mr. Warner that he entered Bermuda on December 19 "via sailboat'' when he pleaded guilty to the immigration offence and Mr. Taylor told the Senior Magistrate that Holder was also wanted in another jurisdiction for a "serious offence''.

Roberts and Holder were originally charged on January 24 with conspiring with others to import cannabis. Roberts was additionally charged with possessing cannabis with intent to supply and possessing drug equipment.