Dear Editor,

I would like to commend Attorney General Marlene Malahoo Forte on her appointment to the Andrew Holness-led Cabinet. She has had a distinguished judicial career serving for some years as a resident magistrate, senior resident magistrate, and former president of the Resident Magistrates’ Association. She has had a most distinguished legal career at both bars (public and private) and bench.

She is vastly regarded as a formidable, fair and fearless prosecutor in her time in the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, with an impressive success rate in the trial and appellate courts. During her tenure in the resident magistrates’ court she was a firm advocate for reform of Jamaica’s justice sector and teacher of the law. Later, as a consultant counsel, she has also successfully appeared at all levels of the courts, including before the Judicial Committee of Her Majesty’s Privy Council in England.

Malahoo Forte is undoubtedly a very high-achieving legal scholar, well-known locally, regionally and internationally. She was named a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum in year 2010, a significant global accomplishment, if you will, and a Top Young Person in the West Indies (2010) by Junior Chamber International. She is a former Kiwanis Club of New Kingston Veuve Clicquot Professional Woman of Excellence awardee and Bigga High Achiever in the Legal & Justice System. This outstanding Jamaican is also a past chairman of United Way’s Women’s Leadership Initiative. She is also a former Fulbright scholar.

The erudite attorney general served previously as Opposition Senator and shadow minister of health between January 2012 and February 2016, and earlier as government senator and state minister of foreign affairs and foreign trade between July 2009 and December 2011.

Quite recently, some people called on Prime Minister Andrew Holness to dismiss Forte for her tweeted comments relating to the rainbow flag being flown at half-mast at the United States Embassy in Kingston; however, from my standpoint there is absolutely no need for the attorney general to resign or be fired from the position. She has broken no Jamaican law and is entitled to her private comments.

Forte is among Jamaica’s eminent legal luminaries and has served the profession with distinction, probity and honour. She is an immense asset to the Cabinet and country by extension.

As a constituent of St James West Central, where she is the elected Member of Parliament, I am proud of her significant legal achievements in such a short period of time. She is undoubtedly a distinguished daughter of Western Jamaica who has served her country exceptionally well.

Robert Dalley, Esq

St James

robertdalley1@hotmail.com