Malahoo Forte slipped and fell in Parliament, House Speaker clarifies

 

Speaker of the House of Representatives Marisa Dalrymple Philibert has sought to dispel rumors Attorney General Marlene Malahoo Forte fainted during last week's sitting.

 

Last Tuesday, the House adjourned briefly amid a commotion involving Mrs Malahoo Forte and news emerged later that she had been taken to hospital.

 

At the next sitting of the House on Tuesday afternoon, Mrs Dalrymple Philibert explained that Mrs Malahoo Forte slipped and fell.

 

"I want to indicate clearly to all of Jamaica that she did not collapse and she did not faint as was reported and speculated by many people. She sustained some injuries which her doctors advised will take a little time to heal," the House Speaker revealed. 

 

She also clarified her attempts at the time to have the sitting continue despite the incident. 

 

"Some persons who were watching the news report of the incident may have gained the impression that I did not care, because in my own effort to avoid a commotion, I indicated to the member who was on the floor at the time...to proceed with her presentation. I want the public as well as members of the Parliament to be assured that I was aware that the AG was also trying not to have any commotion at all and didn't want to draw any attention to herself, having fallen on the floor," she explained.