Politics of Jamaica

Politics in Jamaica takes place in the framework of a representative parliamentary democratic constitutional monarchy.

The 1962 Constitution of Jamaica established a parliamentary system whose political and legal traditions closely follow those of the United Kingdom.

The governor-general has a largely ceremonial role,[1] with their parliamentary function consisting simply of granting royal assent to bills which have passed Parliament.

The judiciary operates independently of the executive and the legislature, with jurisprudence based on English common law.

Every bill, to be passed into law, must be approved by the House, with a quorum of 16 members, in addition to the presiding officer, required for a vote to take place.

As head of state, King Charles III appoints a governor-general, on the advice of the prime minister, as his representative in Jamaica.

Their role is to appoint senior officials of the state, on request from the Prime Minister, and to grant royal assent to bills that have passed Parliament.

Executive power is vested in the King, but exercised mostly by the Cabinet of Jamaica; led by the Prime Minister, currently Andrew Holness.

Jamaica is divided in 14 parishes: Clarendon, Hanover, Kingston, Manchester, Portland, St. Andrew, St. Ann, St. Catherine, St. Elizabeth, St. James, St. Mary, St. Thomas, Trelawny, Westmoreland.

An autonomous regulatory agency, the Office of Utilities Regulation (OUR), approves tariffs and establishes targets for efficiency increases, and also oversees the telecommunications industry.