No Referendum at Time of General Election

Jamaicans are being advised that the Referendum, which forms a critical part of the transition process from a Constitutional Monarchy to a Republic, will not be held at the same time as the upcoming General Election.

Minister of Legal and Constitutional Affairs, Hon. Marlene Malahoo Forte, has said that before a Referendum can take place, a Referendum Bill will first have to be passed, which will set out the procedure for taking the vote.

“We know that all matters in relation to voting are managed by the Electoral Commission of Jamaica (ECJ), and that will not change, because the Referendum is similar to a vote, except that you are not voting for people, you are choosing Jamaica. By choosing changes to the Constitution, that will see a Jamaican as the Head of State and the other changes being made,” she said.

Mrs. Malahoo Forte was speaking at a JIS Think Tank, today (March 19), at the agency’s Television Department, 5-9 South Odeon Avenue in Kingston.

Voting in the Referendum will give Jamaicans an opportunity to decide on whether the country severs ties with colonial structures and establishes a governance system that reflects Jamaica’s identity and aspirations.

Following the drafting of the Referendum Bill and the necessary stages in the review process, it will then go to Parliament.

“It will provide for the participation of every Jamaican who is registered to vote, to approve the changes that Parliament will make to the Constitution. Before we get to the actual holding of the Referendum, we will have to design questions for the people to answer in the vote and that is not yet done because we are paying very close attention to attempts by other countries, what has worked and what has not worked well,” the Minister said.

Mrs. Malahoo Forte said that sufficiently educating the people of Jamica about the reform process, so that their participation is well informed, is of high priority.

“The Ministry has made sure that the Bill is accessible to everyone who desires to see it and read it. We have put it in just about every place and just about everyone has a smartphone. It is on the Parliament’s website; it is on the Ministry’s website; it is on the dedicated Road to Republic website, and we have made printed copies available,” she said.

To view the Constitution (Amendment) (Republic) Bill, 2024, persons can visit Road to Republic, roadtorepublic.mlca.gov.jm or the Ministry’s website –mlca.gov.jm.