Minister of Legal and Constitutional Affairs, Marlene Malahoo Forte (second left), makes a point during a session at the 10th Biennial Diaspora Conference, on June 19, at the Montego Bay Convention Centre in St. James. Others (from left) are Lawyer, Marlon Hill; Youth Representative on the Constitutional Reform Committee, Sujae Boswell; and International Constitutional Law Expert and Member of the Constitutional Reform Committee, Professor Richard Albert. (Yhomo Hutchinson/JIS)
Legal and Constitutional Affairs Minister, Marlene Malahoo Forte has questioned the rationale behind suggestions that members of the Diaspora be allowed to sit in government.
Minister Malahoo Forte was speaking Wednesday during a plenary session on constitutional reform on the last day of the 10th Biennial Jamaica Diaspora Conference at the Montego Bay Convention Centre in St James.
Daina Davy reports.
Minister Malahoo Forte says the proposal of Diaspora members serving in government is a point of view she is still trying to understand fully.
Minister Malahoo Forte was responding to a question from lawyer and former diaspora advisory board member, Marlon Hill who was moderating the session on constitutional reform.
Hill wanted to know if there is an opportunity in the continuing constitutional reform process to think of other ways in which diaspora engagement could manifest itself in parliament.
Malahoo Forte says people with responsibility for passing laws, should be subject to those laws.
Meanwhile, International Constitutional Law Expert and member of the Constitutional Reform Committee, Professor Richard Albert, who is a Jamaican citizen by descent, addressed another issue of concern.
Leader of the Opposition People’s National Party Mark Golding, who is a Jamaican citizen by birth and a UK citizen by descent, has been at odds with aspects of the committee’s report.
Mr. Golding recently made the call to Prime Minister Andrew Holness to meet with him to discuss the matters that have caused the impasse while speaking a PNP meeting on Saturday
Professor Albert says a mutual understanding between the government and opposition is imperative to completing the reform process.
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