Opposition Leader Mr Mark Golding appears to prefer style over substance, in his strange objection to what he says is a proposed constitutional amendment to extend the tenure of Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Ms Paula Llewellyn.

It would be, in our view, a correct and quite sensible move on the part of the Andrew Holness Government to retain such a formidable person as Ms Llewellyn in such a critical position as DPP.

Ms Llewellyn is set to retire in September, in keeping with our laws, but the Government has the option of going to Parliament to retain her services through an amendment to the relevant legislation. The DPP is a creature of the Parliament.

Mr Golding, however, sees something wrong in any such amendment, saying in a press statement that his People’s National Party (PNP) “raises serious concerns about democratic governance and the principles of constitutional reform”.

The PNP president clearly opposes keeping Ms Llewellyn in the job. Had he preferred to see her remain, he would have been happy to support any move in this regard. The question is: What does he have against her?

So virulent is his opposition to her that he is prepared to step down from the constitutional reform committee on grounds that the committee is considering reforms to the constitution and so is being sidelined.

He would also take the matter before the Constitutional Court to “challenge what is a serious aberration, and to seek a declaratory judgment as to the proper interpretation of the constitution in this matter”.

Mr Golding’s tone suggests that a seriously weighty matter is at hand, when in fact it is a simple one.

Ms Llewellyn has performed at the highest levels of competence in her 15 years in the position, is healthy, is as committed to justice in Jamaica as ever, and ready, willing and able to continue. Why risk losing her services?

It is not every day that a small country like Jamaica finds itself with such a powerful and patriotic individual in an area as existential as justice, and not interested in seeking better remuneration than the Government can afford.

It can be said that Jamaica, as a proportion of population, has an embarrassment of riches when it comes to prosecutors. Yet none can light a candle to Ms Llewellyn, who has set an enormously high bar.

Indeed, with 45 years as a prosecuting attorney, 33 years of that spent in the Office of the DPP, Ms Llewellyn emerged as DPP in 2008 over formidable competition against the likes of Constitutional Minister Marlene Malahoo-Forte; Ms Lisa Palmer-Hamilton, then senior deputy DPP; Ms Vinette Graham Allen, former DPP in Bermuda and at the time DPP in The Bahamas; and Mr Terrence Williams, former DPP of Tortola.

Throughout her tenure as a female professional in that particular arena, and someone who, by virtue of gender, is not really a part of the old boys’ club, she has had to deal with being judged twice as hard by her male colleagues. It is easy to deduce that, as a woman in a significant power position, there may be some resentment. One can only hope that Mr Golding is not one of those people.

Still, rather than be flustered or angry, Ms Llewellyn has always shown grace under fire and competence even in the face of the greatest challenges.