Malahoo Forte defends role of Attorney General in drafting laws

 

Minister of Legal and Constitutional Affairs Marlene Malahoo Forte has defended the role of the Attorney General in the drafting of laws. 

 

Her statement follows several high-profile cases where the courts deemed the particular legislation in question being unconstitutional. 

 

Questions have also been raised about the impartiality of the Attorney General in the process of advising the government and guiding the legislative agenda. 

 

Mrs. Malahoo Forte says the Attorney General does not simply rubber stamp the government's agenda without due diligence.

 

"A view has been put out that an Attorney General is just going with the flow. The Attorney General's role is a very specific role, but even though an Attorney General is politically aligned, that does not mean that the Attorney General does not consider the matters properly as an attorney-at-law. I recall being told when I was in the role of Attorney General that because I am a member of the Parliament, my advice would be suspect. So I had to ask

if the previous Attorney General who was a member of the other side, if his views were suspect also by virtue of that fact.

 

"The Attorney General is not any creature. That's why you have below the office of Attorney General a cadre of professional staff headed by the Solicitor General, which is not meant to be political either. But what is wrong with being political? It does not mean in an appropriate case that you are devoid of sense," the minister contended. 

 

She was addressing Wednesday's sitting of the Joint Select Committee of Parliament on the Constitution Amendment Republic Act 2024.