Aid bills.

Health and Social Services Minister the Hon. Harry Soares declared: "I will do my best to come up with a solution.'' His pledge follows complaints that some payments have been delayed by up to four years.

This week, attorney Mr. Phil Perinchief slapped a writ on the Finance Ministry, Legal Aid Committee chairman Puisne Judge the Hon. Justice Ground and Attorney General Mr. Elliott Mottley.

He claims he is owed up to $41,000 in arrears.

Attorney Mr. Timothy Marshall is also threatening a lawsuit, alleging he is owed $107,000.

The Royal Gazette understands concern over the Legal Aid system has been raised at Cabinet level.

Yesterday, Mr. Soares said responsibility for Legal Aid no longer fell directly under his Ministry, but he promised to do his best to help.

"The first I knew officially about the problem was when Mr. Marshall called me this week, and explained he had a difficulty.

"I told him to let me check it out. I researched the files, got some information and called him back.

"I told him to give me time and I will do my best to come up with an amiable solution for everybody.'' He added: "I did point out Social Services did not handle the processing of payments, but I said I would be interested in helping anybody and take the matter under my wing.'' Mr. Soares said he had held meetings with Permanent Secretary of Health and Social Services Mr. Carl Musson.

And he stressed an investigation into Legal Aid had already been done by Management Services.

"It is very important in every community that the public have due access to good legal representation, and in the overall scheme of things we have got to always safeguard that.'' The Legal Aid system -- funded by Government -- is designed to pay lawyers to represent clients unable to pay high legal fees.

Under it, lawyers' rates vary from $100 per hour to $110 per hour -- roughly a third of those of lawyers in private practice.

Mr. Perinchief said his lawsuit followed months of correspondence and telephone calls, and a meeting with Mr. Justice Ground.

He has complained that the Legal Aid Committee repeatedly reduces the amount he claims he is entitled to.

Now he has appealed for a revamp of the system, urging the Ministry of Finance to employ full-time Legal Aid Committee staff on a rotary basis. He also argued for a non-judicial committee chairman.

Mr. Justice Ground, however, said the Legal Aid Committee assessed lawyers' bills for "fairness and reasonableness'', before they were sent to the Accountant General for payment.

Three years ago, Government mounted an inquiry into the Legal Aid system following similar complaints from lawyers.

The move followed a report that some firms were being driven into the red by waiting up to 12 months for bills to be paid.

One lawyer, however, this week told The Royal Gazette : "Despite the promises of action, nothing has been done and the problems still remain.''