Parliament of Jamaica

Parliament of Jamaica
Parliament of Jamaica
Type
Type	Bicameral
Houses	Senate; House of Representatives
Leadership
Monarch	Elizabeth II ; since 06 August 1962
Governor-General	Patrick L. Allen ; since 26 February 2009
Speaker of the House of Representatives	Hon. Marisa Dalrymple-Philibert, JLP ; since 15 September 2020
President of the Senate	Sen. the Hon.Thomas Tavares-Finson CD, QC, JLP ; since 10 March 2016
Structure
Seats	84; 21 Senators; 63 Members of Parliament
Senate political groups	Government (13) Jamaica Labour Party (13); Official Opposition (8) People's National Party (8);
House of Representatives political groups	Her Majesty's Government Jamaica Labour Party (49); Official Opposition People's National Party (14); Vacant (0)
Elections
Senate voting system	Appointed by Governor-General on advice of the Prime Minister (13) and Leader of the Opposition (8)
House of Representatives voting system	First-past-the-post
House of Representatives last election	3 September 2020
House of Representatives next election	2025
Meeting place
	George William Gordon House, Kingston, Jamaica
Website
	http://www.japarliament.gov.jm/

The Parliament of Jamaica is the legislative branch of the government of Jamaica. It consists of three elements: the Crown (represented by the Governor-General), the appointed Senate and the directly elected House of Representatives.

The Senate (Upper House) – the direct successor of a pre-Independence body known as the "Legislative Council" – comprises 21 senators appointed by the Governor-General: thirteen on the advice of the Prime Minister and eight on the advice of the Leader of the Opposition.

The House of Representatives, the Lower House, is made up of 63 (previously 60) Members of Parliament, elected to five-year terms on a first-past-the-post basis in single-seat constituencies.

The Parliament meets at Gordon House at 81 Duke Street, Kingston.^[1] It was built in 1960 and named in memory of Jamaican patriot George William Gordon.^[2]

Inside the Parliament of Jamaica

Overview

As Jamaica is a parliamentary democracy modelled after the Westminster system, most of the government's ability to make and pass laws is dependent on the Prime Minister's ability to command the confidence of the members of the House of Representatives. Though both Houses of Parliament hold political significance, the House of Representatives of which the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition are both required to be members of holds a more powerful and prestigious role since it is the main source of legislation.

House of Representatives

The House of Representatives is the Lower House. It is the group of elected members of parliament.

Government – Jamaica Labour Party members

The Most Hon. Andrew Holness,ON – St. Andrew West Central - Prime Minister
Dr. The Hon. Horace Chang, CD, St. James North Western - Deputy Prime Minister
Hon. Marisa Dalrymple-Philibert, Trelawny South – Speaker
Mrs. Juliet Holness, St. Andrew East Rural - Deputy Speaker
Hon. Edmund Bartlett, St. James East Central– Leader of Government Business
Hon. Pearnel Patroe Charles Jr., Clarendon South Eastern
Hon. Robert Nesta Morgan, Sr. Clarendon North Central
Mr. Lester Michael Henry, OJ, Clarendon Central
Mr. Phillip Henriques, Clarendon North Western
Mr. Dwight Sibblies, Clarendon Northern
Mr. Dave Brown, Hanover Eastern
Ms. Tamika Davis, Hanover Western
Hon. Desmond McKenzie, Kingston Western
Mr. Donovan Williams, Kingston Central
Hon. Audley Shaw, Manchester North Eastern
Ms. Rhoda Crawford, Manchester Central
Mr. Robert Chin, Manchester Southern
Hon. Daryl Vaz, Portland Western
Mrs. Ann-Marie Vaz, Portland Eastern
Hon. Fayval Williams, St. Andrew Eastern
Dr. The Hon. Nigel Clarke, St. Andrew North Western
Hon. Karl Samuda, St. Andrew North Central
Hon. Delroy Chuck, QC, St. Andrew North Eastern
Hon. Juliet Cuthbert-Flynn, St. Andrew West Rural
Hon. Zavia Mayne, St. Ann South Western
Hon. Marsha Smith, St. Ann North Eastern
Ms. Krystal Lee, St. Ann North Western
Hon. Clifford Everald Warmington, St. Catherine South Western
Dr. The Hon. Christopher Tufton, St. Catherine West Central
Hon. Olivia Grange, St. Catherine Central
Hon. Alando Terrelonge, St. Catherine East Central
Mr. Robert Miller, St. Catherine South Eastern
Ms. Kerensia Morrison, St. Catherine North Eastern
Dr. Andrew Wheatley, St. Catherine South Central
Hon. Floyd Green, St. Elizabeth South Western
Hon. William James Charles Hutchinson, St. Elizabeth North Western
Mr. Franklyn Witter, St. Elizabeth South Eastern
Mr. Delroy Slowley, St. Elizabeth North Eastern
Hon. Homer Davis, St. James Southern
Mr. Heroy Clarke, St. James Central
Hon. Marlene Malahoo Forte, QC, St. James West Central
Hon. Robert Montague, St. Mary Western
Dr. The Hon. Norman Alexander Dunn, St. Mary South Eastern
Mr. James Robertson, St. Thomas Western
Dr. Michelle Charles, St. Thomas Eastern
Ms. Tova Hamilton, Trelawny Northern
Mr. Daniel Lawrence, Westmoreland Eastern
Mr. George Wright, Westmoreland Central
Mr. Morland Wilson, Westmoreland Western

Opposition – People's National Party members

Dr. Peter Phillips, St. Andrew East Central – Leader of the Opposition
Mr. Phillip Paulwell, Kingston East and Port Royal – Leader of Opposition Business
Dr. Morais Guy, St. Mary Central
Mr. Mark Golding, St. Andrew South
Dr. Angela Brown-Burke, St. Andrew South West
Mr. Lothan Cousins, Clarendon South Western
Ms. Denise Daley, St. Catherine Eastern
Mr. Julian Robinson, St. Andrew South Eastern
Mr. G. Anthony Hylton, St. Andrew Western
Mr. Fitz Jackson, St. Catherine Southern
Ms. Natalie Neita, St. Catherine North Central
Mr. Mikael Phillips, Manchester North Western
Hon. Hugh Graham, St. Catherine North Western
Ms. Lisa Hanna, St. Ann South Eastern

Senate

The Senate is the Upper House. This is the list of senators:

Government senators

Senator the Hon. Thomas Tavares-Finson, CD, QC – President
Senator Charles Sinclair, Jr. – Deputy President
Senator the Hon. Kamina Johnson-Smith – Leader of Government Business
Senator the Hon. Aubyn Hill
Senator the Hon. Matthew Samuda
Senator the Hon. Leslie Campbell
Senator Kavan Gayle
Senator Ransford Braham, QC
Senator Don Wehby
Senator Dr. Saphire Longmore
Senator Delroy Williams
Senator Sherene Golding Campbell
Senator Natalie Campbell Rodriques

Opposition senators

Senator Donna Scott-Mottley – Leader of Opposition Business
Senator Dr. Floyd Morris
Senator Damion Crawford
Senator Sophia Frazer-Binns
Senator Lambert Brown
Senator Norman Horne
Senator Janice Allen
Senator Gabriela Morris

In order to effect changes to the Constitution of Jamaica a two-thirds majority in both Houses is required. Therefore, changes to the Jamaican constitution will require consensus among Government and Opposition Senators.

Last election


Party		Votes	%	+/–	Seats	+/–

	Jamaica Labour Party	408,376	57.07	+6.99	49	+17
	People's National Party	305,950	42.76	–6.95	14	–17
	Independents	1,185	0.17	+0.03	0	0
Total		715,511	100.00	–	63

Valid votes		715,511	98.78
Invalid/blank votes		8,806	1.22
Total votes		724,317	100.00
Registered voters/turnout		1,913,410	37.85
Source: Electoral Commission of Jamaica

References

^ "Contact Us". Japarliament.gov.jm. Archived from the original on 7 February 2012. Retrieved 3 January 2016.
^ "History". Japarliament.gov.jm. Retrieved 3 January 2016.

External links