Facing strong public backlash, Justice Minister Delroy Chuck has issued an apology and is asking for forgiveness over his actions at a parliamentary committee meeting discussing proposed sexual harassment legislation.

Chuck has been heavily criticised after indicating that he believed that sexual harassment should be reported within 12 months and laughed as he expressed the view that Jamaica should avoid bringing the #MeToo movement here.

The justice minister apologised, in the third person on Twitter, on Saturday, but that did not quell the outrage that has been growing since last week with some critics calling for Chuck’s resignation.

Last week, while making a contribution at the Joint Select Committee on Sexual Harassment, I made an inappropriate statement regarding the time period for making complaints.

I acknowledge and sympathise with the hurt and the trauma experienced by persons who are victims of harassment or any form of sexual abuse for which there is no statute of limitation.