Cabinet Approves Establishment of Electoral Commission

Cabinet has approved the Electoral Advisory Committee’s (EAC) proposal for the establishment of an Electoral Commission. Minister of Information, Senator Burchell Whiteman informed that the establishment of the Commission would replace the People (Interim Reform) Act of 1978.
“Cabinet having considered the proposal, approved the issue of drafting instructions to the Chief Parliamentary Counsel to prepare a Bill to repeal the Representation of the People Act of 1978. by ordinary legislation pending entrenchment of the Commission in the Constitution of Jamaica,” he pointed out.
The Minister was addressing a post Cabinet press briefing at Jamaica House today August (9). In addition, Senator Whiteman informed that Cabinet had also approved the recommendation of the House of Representatives to increase the maximum number of constituencies from 60 to 65. The approval will see the amendment of Section 67 (1) of the Jamaican Constitution and the issuing of drafting instructions to the Chief Parliamentary Counsel to prepare the relevant Bill.
Minister Whiteman also explained that assessments would be carried out to verify whether the process to review the increase in constituencies, which is to be completed by March 2006, would affect the 2006 Local Government elections.
“It will not be entirely meaningful to do a change of divisional boundaries if constituencies boundaries are not settled, it would seem a little untidy,” he noted.