Minister of Legal and Constitutional Affairs, Hon. Marlene Malahoo Forte, delivered a stirring and reflective presentation in Parliament during the 2025/2026 Sectoral Debate on the 6 th of May 2025. She highlighted the spiritual foundation that guides her work and the progress made in advancing Jamaica’s legal and constitutional reform.

In a speech marked by conviction and introspection, Malahoo Forte opened by reflecting on her spiritual foundation and moral compass, which she said have guided her journey from the courtroom to the Cabinet.

“I was the child who spoke up when no one else would. When the truth was on the line, I stood my ground even at a cost,” Malahoo Forte recalled. “My passion for truth is not a flaw…it is because I believe God planted His standard of truth in me from an early age.”

Now serving in her fourth year as Minister of Legal and Constitutional Affairs and making a decade of participation in the Sectoral Debate, she reflected on the journey that led her to public service.

“Madam Speaker, I was considered a rising star within the judicial Legal Group on ascendency to the higher judiciary, when I received and accepted former Prime Minister Bruce Golding’s invitation to join his administration to help him do the work he was elected to do,” she said, referencing her earlier appointment as Jamaica’s first post-independence female Attorney General. She continued, “Although I knew it was a calling that brought me here for a long time, I have second-guessed the choice I made.”

She also spoke openly of the emotional and spiritual challenges faced during her time in public life, revealing that she has often felt “out of place” but has come to trust her journey as one of divine purpose.

I’ve experienced such intense confusion, which forced me to just lay down my expectations and simply trust that what unfolds in front of me is meant to teach me something that I could not otherwise learn.”

Turning to the Ministry’s work, Malahoo Forte detailed the role of the Ministry of Legal and Constitutional Affairs, which was established just over three and a half years ago with a remit to make the operation of the government more responsive and responsible to the people. She went then on to acknowledge the weight of this responsibility, especially amid ongoing public misunderstandings of governmental power.

“Keeping governmental legal is no easy feat,” she remarked. “Even more difficult is keeping government legal when so many who administer government do not know the extent of their powers, or they believe that they have more powers than they actually have.”

Despite these challenges, the Ministry has delivered measurable progress. Among its achievements:

•  Award for Excellence in Strategic and Operational Planning, recognizing its careful planning and policy execution.
• A nationwide legal education campaign reaching students, churches, and community groups to improve public literacy.
• Launch of an online legal resource platform to make legal information more accessible.
• Introduction of a certificate course in constitutional education to boost civic engagement and knowledge.
• The Diana Award for outstanding contributions to social action given to Christiana Williams.

As Jamaica continues its transition towards republican status and undertakes crucial constitutional reforms, the Minister affirmed her commitment to completing the mission. With the next general elections on the horizon, Malahoo Forte’s address stood as both a report and a reflection; a blend of purpose, progress, and unwavering pledge to justice and governance.