'Gavel's' judgement offends Nicholson

A.J. NICHOLSON says he is deeply hurt by the suggestion of a column published in this newspaper that he is standing in the way of the Charter of Rights.

The article, written by The Gavel, was published on Monday.

In a defence of his position in the Senate yesterday, Nicholson said his suggestion that the passage of the bill not be rushed was borne out of a desire to get the best charter for Jamaicans.

"You know what they call me in my neck of the woods? Gabriel. Gabriel!" Nicholson said.

"To move now from Gabriel to Pharaoh, that can't work," he said.

The Gavel had warned Nicholson not to be a pharaoh by standing in the way of the passage of the Charter of Rights.

"I have been hauled over the coals. Mr Gavel says that my suggestion is pharonic ... . I am Pharaoh," he quipped in the Senate.

"I took umbrage. I was fortunate to be the attorney general of this country for 12 years - the longest-serving attorney general - and when it is suggested that a person that has been the attorney general is trying to withhold rights from the people, it hurts. It hurts. Really hurts."

Last Friday, Nicholson suggested in the Senate that the Charter of Rights be allowed to roll over into the next parliamentary year and sit in the Senate for at least one more month before it is passed.

"All I meant was that the Senate should be given a chance to deliberate on the thing a little bit more. Not a thing wrong with that," he said.

The Charter of Rights has been before Parliament since 1995.

The Senate is due to pass the bill today before it returns to the House of Representatives and is sent to the governor general for his assent.