KINGSTON, Jamaica— Leader of the Opposition, Mark Golding, has called for the resignations of Attorney General Dr Derrick McKoy and Justice Minister Delroy Chuck.

His call follows the minister’s statement that the government will appeal the court ruling which found the second extension of Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Paula Llewellyn’s tenure in office unconstitutional.

In a news release on Sunday, Golding said the statements made by Chuck and McKoy were the result of a misunderstanding of the judgment handed down by the court or they were deliberately obscuring the law.

“It is clear that the public statements made by the Attorney General Dr Derrick McKoy and the Minister of Justice Delroy Chuck in the wake of the court’s decision, represent either a profound misunderstanding or deliberate obfuscation of the law as expressed in the judgment of the Constitutional Court. Their actions have fatally undermined their credibility as holders of those important offices,” Golding stated.

“The People’s National Party is therefore calling for the immediate resignations of both the Attorney General and the Minister of Justice. We urge the administration to consider the gravity of this situation and act in the best interest of Jamaica’s democratic principles and legal statutes,” he added.

The Opposition Leader is adamant that the DPP cannot continue in the office following the court’s decision on Friday as he believes that “the continuation of Ms Llewellyn in her post beyond her lawful term is not only unconstitutional but also a grave misstep in governance.”

To further his argument Golding pointed to a letter dated April 20, 2024 from the attorney representing PNP lawmakers Phillip Paulwell and Peter Bunting in a lawsuit against the Attorney General which challenged the extension of Llewellyn’s term in office.

In the letter the attorney stated that “section 96(2) of the Constitution provides that nothing done by the Director shall be invalid by reason only that she had attained the age of retirement. Arguably, that section saves from invalidity Miss Llewellyn’s actions between her 63rd birthday (when she would have demitted office pursuant to this judgment) and yesterday. However, it would not apply to anything she purports to do in that capacity after yesterday (Friday).”

Golding added that Llewellyn’s actions on Monday would not be validated by law, “which would plunge the country into a deeper crisis”.

Following Friday’s ruling Golding insisted that the post of DPP is vacant and urged the Services Commission to move swiftly in recommending someone to act in the position.

In the statement on Sunday he said that an acting DPP should be in place by Monday morning to avoid the impending constitutional crisis that could arise from the absence.

https://www.jamaicaobserver.com/2024/04/21/opposition-leader-calls-resignations-ag-justice-minister/