'Bittersweet' justice for Chuck
Published:Wednesday | July 6, 2011 | 12:00 AM
Daraine Luton, Senior Staff Reporter
FOR 10 years Delroy Chuck shadowed the justice ministry when the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) was in Opposition.
Prime Minister Bruce Golding noted yesterday that when the government changed in 2007, many persons expected Chuck to be the automatic selection as justice minister.
"That did not happen for a particular reason. I asked him at that time to make himself available to be Speaker of the House, given the fact that we were faced with a Parliament with a very narrow majority and my own recognition that it would have required someone with parliamentary experience but also with the consummate skills that he has to guide that Parliament certainly at that stage," Golding said.
After four years as House speaker, Chuck was yesterday sworn in a justice minister, replacing Dorothy Lightbourne who was last week booted from the Cabinet by Golding.
Chuck said he was happy to be given the opportunity to serve as justice minister but noted it was a "bittersweet feeling".
"In the beginning, I was hoping that I would have gone to the justice ministry, but as you can see, the staff of Parliament, I worked really closely with them, we have a good relationship ... . Even though I will be seeing them when I get to Parliament, we had worked up a very good relationship," Chuck said.
Difficult ministry
The prime minister, for his part, noted that Chuck is taking over a difficult ministry with severe challenges. He also said Lightbourne, Chuck's predecessor, "has been the subject of considerable criticism, much of it unwarranted".
According to the prime minister, having reviewed the annual report of the justice ministry for 2009-2010, it revealed that the criticisms were misplaced and that people being critical of Lightbourne were "either lacking in knowledge or lacking in understanding of the challenges that confront that particular ministry".
"It is generally accepted that our justice system is challenged by the lack of resources. The Justice Reform Programme that we are proceeding with is one that demands a considerable amount of resources and, therefore, we have had to proceed on the basis of implementing those aspects that can be accommodated within the resources and constraints that confront us. These are real realities that we face," he said.
Golding said Chuck, in leading the ministry, would have to deal with those challenges. The new minister is aware of that fact.
"Let me hope that I don't disappoint them. I hope I can deliver on their expectations and I will certainly work 120 per cent to see that met as much as possible," Chuck said.