Proceedings in the Home Circuit Court are being severely affected by a severe shortage of jurors. Yesterday the trial of George Proctor, 86-year-old University of the West Indies consultant botanist, had to be put put off to July 16 because only five jurors were available.

Proctor is charged with conspiracy to murder his 66-year-old wife. He is charged jointly with 41-year-old driver, Glenmore Fillington, of Lyn Avenue, Christiana, Manchester.

The Crown is alleging that Proctor paid Fillington $90,000 to murder his wife. Several cases had to be put off over the last four weeks because of insufficient jurors.

Empanelled

On Monday only 31 jurors turned up to serve in the four criminal courts. A 12-member jury was empanelled in a murder case and seven jurors each were empanelled in two other courts. The police and court officials disclosed yesterday that jurors, particularly those who were self-employed, were shunning jury service because some of them complained that they could not afford bus fares and lunch money to attend court on a daily basis.

Lunch money for bus fare

Two jurors complained recently that, in order to attend court, they had to use their children's lunch money and bus fare and, as a result, their children could not attend school for several days.

Jurors are each paid an allowance of $500 daily for lunch and transportation costs. The jurors fill out claim forms at the end of their jury duty and the cheques are sent out weeks or months later from the Ministry of Justice.

Court officials are now suggesting that the Ministry of Justice should make petty cash available for cashiers at the courts to pay daily allowances to jurors who were having financial problems.