Marlene Patricia Malahoo Forte is a
Jamaican politician. She currently serves as Jamaica's
Minister of Legal and Constitutional Affairs and was the
Attorney General of Jamaica
Attorney General of Jamaica is the chief law officer in Jamaica.
Section 79(1) of the Constitution of Jamaica states that "there shall be an Attorney General who shall be the principal legal adviser to the Government of Jamaica" and pursuant to ...
from 7 March 2016 to 10 January 2022.
She served as a
Senator
A senate is a deliberative assembly, often the upper house or chamber of a bicameral legislature. The name comes from the ancient Roman Senate (Latin: ''Senatus''), so-called as an assembly of the senior (Latin: ''senex'' meaning "the el ...
for the
Jamaica Labour Party
The Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) is one of the two major political parties in Jamaica, the other being the People's National Party (PNP). While its name might suggest that it is a social democratic party (as is the case for "Labour" parties in seve ...
from 2009 to 2016, and served as
State Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade from 2009 to 2012.
Prior to entering politics, she served as a
Resident Magistrate.
Forte received her early education at the
Manning's School
Manning's School in Savanna-la-Mar, Westmoreland, Jamaica, which started offering classes in 1738, is the oldest continuous operating high school in Jamaica. The school's motto is rendered in latin "''Vita sine litteris mors est "'' its engl ...
in
Savanna-la-Mar
Savanna-la-Mar (commonly known as Sav-la-Mar, or simply Sav) is the chief town and capital of Westmoreland Parish, Jamaica. A coastal town, it contains an 18th-century fort constructed for colonial defence against pirates in the Caribbean.
H ...
,
Westmoreland. She studied at the
University of the West Indies
The University of the West Indies (UWI), originally University College of the West Indies, is a public university system established to serve the higher education needs of the residents of 17 English-speaking countries and territories in th ...
,
Norman Manley Law School
The Norman Manley Law School is a law school in Jamaica.
Building and location
The Norman Manley Law School is located on the Mona campus of the University of the West Indies, yet it is a distinct and separate institution. Its building, design ...
and
King's College London
King's College London (informally King's or KCL) is a public research university located in London, England. King's was established by royal charter in 1829 under the patronage of King George IV and the Duke of Wellington. In 1836, King's ...
(LLM, 1999),
obtained a master's degree in public administration from the
Kennedy School of Government
The Harvard Kennedy School (HKS), officially the John F. Kennedy School of Government, is the school of public policy and government of Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The school offers master's degrees in public policy, public ...
at
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Founded in 1636 as Harvard College and named for its first benefactor, the Puritan clergyman John Harvard, it is the oldest institution of higher le ...
, and has lectured in criminal practice and procedure at the
Norman Manley Law School
The Norman Manley Law School is a law school in Jamaica.
Building and location
The Norman Manley Law School is located on the Mona campus of the University of the West Indies, yet it is a distinct and separate institution. Its building, design ...
.
Forte was elected to the
House of Representatives
House of Representatives is the name of legislative bodies in many countries and sub-national entitles. In many countries, the House of Representatives is the lower house of a bicameral legislature, with the corresponding upper house often c ...
as
MP for Saint James West Central in March 2016 after the Jamaica Labour Party won the 2016 general election on February 25 by one seat.
In June 2016, Forte criticized the
U.S. Embassy
The United States has the second most Diplomatic mission, diplomatic missions of any country in the world List of diplomatic missions of China, after Mainland China, including 166 of the 193 member countries of the United Nations, as well as obse ...
in Jamaica for flying a
rainbow flag
A rainbow flag is a multicolored flag consisting of the colors of the rainbow. The designs differ, but many of the colors are based on the spectral colors of the visible light spectrum.
The LGBT flag introduced in 1978 is the most recogniz ...
following the
Orlando nightclub shooting
On , 2016, Omar Mateen, a 29-year-old man, killed 49 people and wounded 53 more in a mass shooting at Pulse, a gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida, United States. Orlando Police officers shot and killed him after a three-hour standoff.
In a 9- ...
. Forte said it was "disrespectful of Jamaica's laws". Forte's comments were in turn criticized by others.
References
Living people
Government ministers of Jamaica
Members of the Senate of Jamaica
Jamaica Labour Party politicians
Jamaican Queen's Counsel
Harvard Kennedy School alumni
Place of birth missing (living people)
Year of birth missing (living people)
University of the West Indies academics
University of the West Indies alumni
Alumni of King's College London
Jamaican women judges
Attorneys General of Jamaica
Women government ministers of Jamaica
21st-century Jamaican women politicians
21st-century Jamaican politicians
Female justice ministers
Members of the 13th Parliament of Jamaica
Members of the 14th Parliament of Jamaica
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