In Jamaica, minister of legal and constitutional affairs plans update on constitutional reform committee progress

Minister of Legal and Constitutional Affairs Marlene Malahoo Forte says she intends to provide an update on the work done by the Constitutional Reform Committee (CRC) as soon as Parliament resumes sitting. "By the time the Parliament resumes from recess I will be making a ministerial statement to give an indication of how many meetings we have had, how many submissions we have received. We're doing a summary of the issues that have been raised and we will put them fully to the people and also ask whether [there are] any other issues they would wish to be considered, bearing in mind that the work has been done in phases," the minister said. "Phase one of the work is the amendment of the constitution to deal with the deeply entrenched provisions around the monarchy. After that, we will move to get a Bill in Parliament, have the Bill passed, and prepare for a referendum," she added. Since the naming of the 15-member CRC that has been tasked with providing expert guidance and oversight for Jamaica's smooth transition from a constitutional monarchy to a republic, the committee has been dogged by controversy and criticism. [...] [The minister also] pointed to the rampant spread of misinformation and urged Jamaicans to pay special attention to the source of any material being presented on constitutional reform.
Read the full article here: Jamaica Observer