Government and Politics of Jamaica

Government Type

constitutional parliamentary democracy

Administrative Divisions

14 parishes; Clarendon, Hanover, Kingston, Manchester, Portland, Saint Andrew, Saint Ann, Saint Catherine, Saint Elizabeth, Saint James, Saint Mary, Saint Thomas, Trelawny, Westmoreland

Legal System

based on English common law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Citizenship

citizenship by birth: yes citizenship by descent only: yes dual citizenship recognized: yes residency requirement for naturalization: 4 out of the previous 5 years

Executive Branch

chief of state: King CHARLES III (since 8 September 2022), represented by Governor General Patrick ALLEN (since 26 February 2009) head of government: Prime Minister Andrew HOLNESS (since 3 March 2016) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch on the recommendation of the prime minister; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition in the House of Representatives is appointed prime minister by the governor general; the deputy prime minister is recommended by the prime minister

Legislative Branch

bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (a 21-member body appointed by the governor general on the recommendations of the prime minister and the leader of the opposition; ruling party is allocated 13 seats, and the opposition is allocated eight seats) and the House of Representatives (60 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 16 October 2002 (next to be held in October 2007) election results: percent of vote by party - PNP 52%, JLP 47.3%; seats by party - PNP 34, JLP 26

Judicial Branch

Supreme Court (judges appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister); Court of Appeal

Political Parties

Jamaica Labor Party or JLP [Bruce GOLDING]; National Democratic Movement or NDM [Hyacinth BENNETT]; People's National Party or PNP [Percival James PATTERSON]

Head of State

Queen ELIZABETH II

Head of Government

Prime Minister Bruce GOLDING

Cabinet

Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister

Elections

the monarch is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch on the recommendation of the prime minister; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition in the House of Representatives is appointed prime minister by the governor general; the deputy prime minister is recommended by the prime minister

Constitution

6-Aug-62

Independence

6 August 1962 (from UK)

National Holiday

Independence Day, first Monday in August (1962)

International Organization Participation

ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, FAO, G-15, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, LAES, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic Representation in the U.S.

chief of mission: Ambassador Gordon SHIRLEY chancery: 1520 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036 telephone: [1] (202) 452-0660 FAX: [1] (202) 452-0081 consulate(s) general: Miami, New York

U.S. Diplomatic Representation

chief of mission: Ambassador Brenda LaGrange JOHNSON embassy: Jamaica Mutual Life Center, 2 Oxford Road, 3rd floor, Kingston 5 mailing address: use embassy street address telephone: [1] (876) 929-4850 through 4859 FAX: [1] (876) 935-6001

Capital City

Kingston

Location

18 00 N, 76 48 W

Time Difference

UTC-5 (same time as Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

History

the name is a blending of the words "king's" and "town"; the English king at the time of the city's founding in 1692 was WILLIAM III (r. 1689-1702)

U.S. Embassy Kingston Consular Section 142 Old Hope Road Kingston 6, Jamaica Telephone: (876) 702-6000 Email: KingstonACS@state.gov Web site: http://kingston.usembassy.gov/ U.S. Consular Agency in Montego Bay Whitter Village, Unit EU-1, Ironshore (across from Burger King) Montego Bay, St. James Tel: (876) 953-0620; Fax: (876) 953-3898 Public Hours are M-F, from 9:00 a.m.-12:30 p.m. E-mail: MobayACS@state.gov The U.S. Embassy in Kingston also has consular responsibility for the Cayman Islands, a British dependent territory. U.S. Consular Agency Cayman Islands Cayman Center Unit B-1, 118 Dorcy Drive George Town, Grand Cayman Island Public Hours are M-F, from 8:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m. Telephone: (345) 945-8173; Fax (345) 945-8192 E-mail: CaymanACS@state.gov

Military Branches

Jamaica Defense Force: Ground Forces, Coast Guard, Air Wing

Service Age and Obligation

17 1/2 is the legal minimum age for voluntary military service; no conscription