Parliament consists of Her Majesty the Queen, represented by the Governor-General, and two legislative Houses, a nominated Senate and an elected House of Representatives. Under Chapter 5 of the Constitution, Parliament is given power to make laws for the peace, order and good government of Jamaica. The Governor-General’s formal Assent is also required for Bills of Parliament to become law. In only a few matters, mainly minor ones, does the Governor-General act in his own discretion. In most cases the Governor-General acts in accordance with the advice of the Prime Minister, but in some cases after consultation with the Leader of the Opposition and in other cases on the recommendation of such authorities as the Services Commissions and the Privy Council. Under Chapter 4, the Governor-General is given authority, as the representative of Her Majesty the Queen, to name the date of a general election, to appoint Ministers and assign them responsibilities, to appoint Parliamentary Secretaries, the Attorney General, Senators, Privy Councilors, the Chief Justice, the President of the Court of Appeal, the Director of Public Prosecutions and members of the Services Commissions. in the event of war, calamity of threat of subversion).Īny person who believes that his rights are being violated or threatened may apply to the Supreme Court (or on appeal to the Court of Appeal) for enforcement of rights and for redress. In the public interest, individual rights may be also be suspended in a manner prescribed by the Constitution (e.g. The enjoyment of these rights and freedom is “subject to respect for the rights and freedoms of others and for the public interest”. These include right to life the right to personal liberty freedom of movement freedom from inhuman treatment enjoyment of property freedom of conscience freedom of association respect for private and family life and freedom from discrimination. Parliament is given power in the Constitution (under Section 11) to make further provision for the acquisition, deprivation and renunciation of citizenship and the Governor-General (under Section 8) is given power to deprive of their Jamaican citizenship those Jamaican citizens who acquire citizenship or the rights of citizenship of another country.įundamental rights and freedoms – (Chapter 3)Ĭhapter 3 provides that every person, regardless of race, place of origin, political opinions, colour, creed of sex, is entitled to certain fundamental rights and freedoms. Women who have married Jamaican men and former citizens of the United Kingdom and Colonies who have become naturalized or registered as British subjects in Jamaica can also register as Jamaican citizens. Under Chapter 2 of the Constitution, persons born in Jamaica and persons born outside Jamaica of Jamaican parents have an automatic right to Jamaican citizenship. …” If any other law is inconsistent with this Constitution, this Constitution shall prevail and the other law shall, to the extent of the inconsistency, be void” (Section 2). Ten Chapters from the Jamaican Constitution:Ĭhapter 1 explains the meaning of terms and ideas expressed in the Constitution and make clear that the Constitution is the supreme law of Jamaica and that all other laws are secondary to it and depend upon it. Parliament, which gave Jamaica political independence. It came into force with the Jamaica Independence Act, 1962 of the U.K. The Prime Minister is scheduled to leave the island after his address to Parliament.The Jamaica Constitution, 1962 was drafted by a bipartisan joint committee of the Jamaican legislature in 1961-62, approved in the United Kingdom and included as the Second Schedule of the Jamaica (Constitution) Order in Council, 1962 under the West Indies Act, 1962. Simpson Miller and address a joint sitting of Parliament today. He will also participate in a floral tribute in honour of soldiers of World Wars I and II hold bilateral discussions with Mrs. Arnaldo Brown.Īfter leaving the airport, the British Prime Minister headed to the Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) Lyme Bay, at Kingston Wharves, for a secure briefing. Robert Pickersgill and State Minister for Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Hon. Mark Golding Minister of Water, Land, Environment and Climate Change, Hon. Zaila McCalla Minister of Justice, Senator the Hon. Andrew Holness Speaker of the House of Representatives, Michael Peart President of the Senate, Floyd Morris High Commissioner to the UK, Her Excellency Aloun Ndombet Assamba Chief Justice, Hon. Simpson Miller then led him to a receiving line, where he was greeted by Leader of the Opposition, Mr. Cameron then inspected the JDF’s guard of honour, after which the Jamaican anthem was played. Following the welcome, the UK anthem was played.