Jamaican Government

        Jamaica is an independent commonwealth realm since 1962, and it has two different governments: parliamentary democracy and constitutional monarchy. It has Queen Elizabeth II serving as the Jamaican Monarchy. She is also chief of state of fifteen other countries and resides most of the time in the United Kingdom.

       The monarch, on the advice of the Prime Minister of Jamaica, nominates the governor-general; the governor-general appoints the entire Cabinet and the Executive power is vested in the Cabinet . Legislative power is exercised in both: the government and parliament. The monarch and the governor-general’s role is largely ceremonial.

       A bipartisan joint committee drafted the current Constitution of Jamaica in 1962. The Constitution determines a parliamentary system whose political and legal traditions resembles those of the United Kingdom.

      The Parliament of Jamaica is bicameral. It consists in the House of Representatives (Lower House) and the Senate (Upper House). The Members of the House are known as Members of Parliament and they are directly elected. The governor-general for the prime minister’s post can appoint the member of the House of Representatives, if this one is judged capable. The power often alternates between the People's National Party - current administrative and legislative power - and Jamaica Labour Party (JLP).  

     

     Portia Simpson-Miller is the current Prime Minister of Jamaica, and she acts as the head of government.