⁠⁠CRC Report Row Deepens as Malahoo Forte Refutes Golding’s Claim

Marlene Malahoo Forte, Minister of Legal and Constitutional Affairs, (left), Mark Golding, President of the People’s National Party (right)

Minister of Legal and Constitutional Affairs, Marlene Malahoo Forte, is dismissing as untrue, a claim that she withheld a document from members of the Constitutional Reform Committee, CRC, outlining concerns raised by the Opposition Leader, Mark Golding.

The claim was made in a statement issued by Mr. Golding early on Tuesday morning.

Daina Davy reports.

Mr. Golding says Minister Malahoo Forte submitted the report from the CRC directly to Cabinet and in doing, denied the committee members the opportunity to review and address the serious and legitimate concerns raised by the Opposition.

Mr. Golding says he sent a document with the concerns to Minister Malahoo Forte last Friday with the understanding that she would have shared them with her colleagues on the CRC.

But Minister Malahoo Forte says the Opposition Leader’s statement is false.

According to Mr. Golding, Malahoo-Forte’s action proves a lack of intent by the government to seek consensus with the Opposition on the proposed constitutional reform.

But Minister Malahoo Forte has dismissed the suggestion.

She says that at all times, effort was made to respond to the concerns of the Opposition and arrive at consensus.

Minister Malahoo Forte says she was told by the Opposition members on the CRC that there were comments that Mr. Golding wanted to make to the committee.

But she says she was told that those comments were not settled as the Opposition members needed to have further dialogue with Mr. Golding.