by Linda Straker
- Hon. Ron Redhead organised townhall meeting at St Paul’s Community Centre
- Hon. Joseph said she has met with sectoral groups
- Senate sitting postponed to 6 April, with no excuse given
Attorney General Claudette Joseph told a town hall meeting that they should not be drawn into empty noises from some people regarding legislation that the Government will put forward to the Houses of Parliament for approval.
“I want to urge you not to be drawn into all the empty noises, I would call it, in relation to some of the legislations that we will put forward in Parliament. A lot of it is genuine expression, but it is founded or grounded in political mischief and propaganda,” she said on 29 March at the St Paul’s Community Centre.
Hon. Ron Redhead, Member of Parliament for the St George East constituency, organised the meeting.
Referring directly to the controversial Data Protection Bill, which received approval in the Lower House of Parliament on 14 March, Hon. Joseph said the Bill is in the country’s best interest. “We believe that one of our platforms is digital transformation because, as you know we are moving more aggressively than any other government has done to implement a digital government, to ensure that technology is relied on more and more to ensure we move with the times. So digital transformation is part of our platform and naturally, data protection will come with that.”
The Grenada Bar Association, following a members’ meeting, expressed concerns over some clauses in the Bill. The Opposition has called for further consultation, but Government has not announced any public consultations.
Joseph also holds the ministerial portfolio of Legal Affairs. “A few issues were flagged. We corrected those issues, we corrected them up to the day when the Bill was tabled in the House of Representatives, so I assure you, myself and the Prime Minister have been engaging stakeholders,” she said.
Joseph said she has met with sectoral groups. “I had a meeting with the president of the Bar on Tuesday. The Prime Minister had a meeting with the Media Workers Association last week. I have another meeting scheduled with the media workers on Friday and I am going to do as many appearances as the public will want me to do to speak on this issue. We have nothing to fear. We have nothing to hide. Everything we do is in the best interest of the people.” Joseph’s ministerial portfolio also includes Consumer Affairs.
The Senate was scheduled to debate and approve the Bill on 29 March, but the sitting was postponed to 6 April, with no excuse given.