Debate on the Charities Act 2013 began in the House of Representatives on Tuesday, October 22. The purpose of the Bill is to introduce a single piece of legislation to regulate all charitable organisations, whether intending to, or already operating in the country. In piloting the legislation, Minister of Industry, Investment and Commerce, Hon. Anthony Hylton, noted that it is...

The House of Representatives, on Tuesday, September 24, passed amendments to the Crown Property (Vesting) Act. Minister of Water, Land, Environment and Climate Change, Hon. Robert Pickersgill, who opened the debate, said the legislation seeks to ensure that Government-owned lands are disposed of fairly, transparently, and equitably, in order to widen the base of land ownership in Jamaica. The Crown...

Debate on the Committal Proceedings Act 2013, which seeks to eliminate preliminary enquiries in Resident Magistrates’ courts,commenced in the House of Representatives on Tuesday, September 23. Attorney General, Hon. Patrick Atkinson, who opened the debate, outlined that the aim of the legislation is to alleviate or reduce problems caused by and related to inordinate delay, high legal costs and the...

The Office of the Contractor General (OCG) special investigation regarding the award of contract(s) to construct/repair and to rent shops at the Spalding Market in Clarendon was tabled in the House of Representatives on Tuesday, September 17. Contractor General, Dirk Harrison on April 15, publicly announced that a formal investigation has commenced into the circumstances, surrounding the alleged award of...

Debate on the revised recommendations on campaign financing submitted by the Electoral Commission of Jamaica (ECJ) was suspended in the House of Representatives on Tuesday, September 17. Leader of Government Business in the House, Hon. Phillip Paulwell, who introduced the revised recommendations, agreed to postpone the debate until September 24, at the request of Leader of Opposition Business, Delroy Chuck....

The Senate was on Friday, September 13, presented with a Bill to amend the Terrorism Prevention Act to enable Jamaica to ratify the International Convention for the Suppression of Acts of Nuclear Terrorism. The Bill also seeks to implement special recommendations made by the financial action task force in regards to money laundering and terrorism financing. The Terrorism Prevention (Amendment...

A draft Green Paper on the Climate Change Policy Framework and Action Plan will be tabled shortly in the House of Representatives. This was disclosed by Minister of Water, Land, Environment and Climate Change, Hon. Robert Pickersgill, during Tuesday’s (September 10) sitting of the House of Representatives. The Minister was responding to a motion brought by Member of Parliament for...