Legislators mull defamation laws
March 21, 2009
THE LONG-AWAITED parlia-mentary deliberation on a 42-page report which reviewed Jamaica's defamation laws, started Thursday in Gordon House.
A high-powered parliamentary committee, comprising mainly lawyers, discussed how the group should proceed in the months ahead as it examines the report.
However, the committee's next meeting may not take place until May, as Parliament is scheduled to prorogue on March 31, followed by the Budget Debate in April.
After a brief discussion at Thursday's meeting, it was decided that committee members should first leaf through the report in preparation for deliberations at the next sitting.
Extensive review
Last year, a committee com-missioned by Prime Minister Bruce Golding and chaired by Justice Hugh Small, carried out an extensive review of the country's defamation laws.
The committee held consultations with members of the public to get their input on the subject.
The Jamaica Labour Party had pledged, in its election manifesto, to modernise legislation relating to libel and slander to expose corrupt officials in the private and public sectors so they could be brought to justice.
Golding commissioned the committee in October 2007 to review the laws and to make recommendations.
On Thursday, committee Chairman Dorothy Lightbourne gave an overview of some of the key issues to be discussed by the group....
Author: Edmond Campbell
Source: Jamaica Gleaner
