Senate Passes United Nations Security Council Implementation Act

A Bill to enable Jamaica’s fulfillment of its commitments to the Caribbean Financial Action Task Force (CFATF), was passed in the Upper House on November 1 with bi-partisan support.

The United Nations Security Council Implementation Act 2013 also allows Jamaica to put into practice declarations passed by the UN Security Council under Chapter VII of its Charter, which deals specifically with the maintenance of international peace and security.

Minister of Justice and Government Senator, Hon. Mark Golding, pointed out that this is the third of a trilogy of Bills that have been brought to Parliament recently, which seek to address the requirements of the CFATF, a regional organisation committed to combating money laundering and terrorism in the wider Caribbean.

The others are the amendments to the Terrorism Prevention Act, and the amendments to the Proceeds of Crime Act, which deals with money laundering.

He further noted that the Bill was also introduced to allow Jamaica to fulfill its obligations under the UN Security Council.

Senator Golding informed that resolutions passed under Chapter VII of the UN Charter are binding on all UN member states and must be implemented. Failure by a member state to implement the resolutions can render that state liable to criticism or the imposition of sanctions by the Security Council, as well as expose the state to similar treatment from multilateral institutions or at the bilateral level.

These resolutions are country or subject-specific and are imposed by the Security Council as a last resort when it considers that a country or situation has reached the stage where it poses a threat to international peace and security.

“The resolutions may contain measures, i.e. sanctions designed to either maintain or restore international peace and security,” Senator Golding said.

Examples of country-specific resolutions include those imposed on Libya, Iran, Syria, and the Democratic People’s Republic of North Korea. Subject specific resolutions may deal with issues such as the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.

In his contribution, Leader of Opposition Business in the Senate, Senator Arthur Williams, said the Bill has the full support of the Opposition, as it now “provides the proper legislative framework” for Jamaica to implement recommendations made by the UN Security Council.

The legislation was passed with two amendments.