In-line with its commitment to transparency and accountability in the exercise of its functions, the Office of the Attorney General (OAG) released Report 2010 at the beginning of this year. The document outlines the role of Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs and his team in the nation’s justice system, and their achievements over the last year, as well as their goals for 2011.

“Our mission at the Office of the Attorney General is to promote justice in the Commonwealth of The Bahamas through the delivery of comprehensive and efficient legal services to the government,” writes John Delaney QC, Attorney General, in his preface to the report. “Over the past year we have made progress over several areas of the Attorney General’s portfolio.”

Such achievements include the creation of a dedicated website at www.bahamas.gov.bs/attorneygeneral launched on December 1, 2010, the first of its type for the OAG. The website includes information regarding the Attorney General’s constitutional authority, the present ministerial portfolio, and the function of Notaries Public and Justices of the Peace, for which the Attorney General has ministerial responsibility. It also records the legislative agenda and states which bills are currently before parliament.

Other highlights of the report include a list of the legislation enacted by parliament last year, a number of which were in the financial services arena, such as the International Tax Cooperation Act, and The Bahamas and the United States of America Tax Information Exchange Agreement (Amendment) Act, 2010, as well as amends to The Banks and Trust Companies Regulation Act, and The Central Bank of The Bahamas Act.

The report also addresses the work the OAG has done in collaboration with the Bahamas Financial Services Board including the finalization of a Vision and Strategic Framework for the financial services sector. The strategy document was unveiled during the first half of the year setting a broad direction and tone for The Bahamas as a globally competitive international business jurisdiction.

To read the entire OAG report, download/view the PDF here.