Member of Parliament (MP) for St. Andrew East Rural, the Most Hon. Juliet Holness, was elected Speaker of the House of Representatives today (September 26). She has been elevated from Deputy Speaker of the House and replaces Marisa Dalrymple Philibert, who officially resigned on September 21. The new Deputy Speaker of the House is Member of Parliament, St. James Central,...

Parliament has adjusted its Standing Orders to allow for greater participation of backbenchers during parliamentary sittings. Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives and Member of Parliament (MP) for St. Andrew East Rural, the Most Hon. Juliet Holness, noted that 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. on Thursdays was set aside for private members’ motions to be heard, but Parliament is...

The House of Representatives has approved the withdrawal of $282 million from the Capital Development Fund (CDF) to provide budgetary support to the Jamaica Bauxite Institute (JBI) for the 2023/24 financial year. It is also proposed that a withdrawal be made from the Fund for the payment of outstanding management fees of $2.5 million to the Development Bank of Jamaica...

Members of the public will be given an opportunity to provide feedback on the job descriptions for Members of Parliament (MP), through a series of town halls to be held across the island. This decision was taken during a Joint Parliamentary Select Committee meeting at the Jamaica Conference Centre on Tuesday (September 5). The group met to discuss Green Paper...

Refurbishing works will be undertaken on the Parliament building during the six-week recess period. The House of Representatives went on recess on July 25 and the Senate is expected to proceed on a similar break shortly. House Leader and Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett, who made the disclosure while speaking on the motion for adjournment said work will be...

The Bail Act 2023, which will reform the country’s bail framework in the criminal justice system, was passed in the House of Representatives on Tuesday (July 25). The legislation, which will repeal and replace the existing Act of 2000 was approved with 20 amendments. It was reviewed by a Joint Select Committee of the Houses of Parliament. The new Bail...

The House of Representatives, on Tuesday (July 25), passed legislation to raise the age of retirement for holders of the offices of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) and Auditor General from 60 to 65 years. The Constitution (Amendment of Sections 96 (1) and 121(1)) Act, 2023, to facilitate the change, was approved without amendments. Piloting the Bill in the...