The Road Traffic Act (RTA), 2018 and its regulations officially came into effect on February 1, bringing with it a host of new measures to manage and regulate the way motorists operate on the road.
Jamaicans with criminal records for certain offences are being encouraged to apply for expungement through the Ministry of Justice. Expungement is a legal process through which an individual can apply to have previous convictions removed from their criminal records.
Minister of Legal and Constitutional Affairs, Marlene Malahoo Forte, says progress is being made in improving the Government’s legislative process. Noting that Legislative Teams have been established in all ministries, Mrs. Malahoo Forte says meetings are being convened with Legislative Teams across Government to enable the Ministry to meet respective officers and provide details on new arrangements for the legislative process.
With the review of the new Bail Act still being undertaken by the Joint Select Committee, now’s the time to begin to understand what the proposed legislation entails. The Act will repeal and replace the current Act of 2000, and will introduce several new stipulations. In a recent JIS Think Tank Interview, Minister of Legal and Constitutional Affairs, Marlene Malahoo Forte outlined some of the key new provisions.
Work is advancing on the Bail Act 2022, which will repeal and replace the existing Act of 2000 and reform the overall bail framework in the criminal justice system. The right to bail is a constitutionally guaranteed right, that is closely related to the right to freedom of movement and the right to liberty.
Changing a country’s Constitution is not as cut and dry a process as people may think. This is especially true when that change is part of transitioning a Nation from a Constitutional Monarchy to a Republic. As a Constitutional Monarchy, Jamaica is regarded as a Commonwealth Realm and receives certain benefits from the United Kingdom, from trade to debt financing and election monitoring. Becoming a republic will involve Jamaica giving up her status as a Commonwealth Realm, while also retaining a place in the Commonwealth. At the end of the transition process naturally question will arise surrounding Jamaica’s continued relationship with Britain.
What does it mean to have Jamaica rest squarely in the hands of Jamaicans? That’s a question that will have to be answered with Jamaica’s transition from a Constitutional Monarchy to a Republic. Minister of Legal and Constitutional Affairs, Marlene Malahoo Forte says Jamaicans will have to play their part in ensuring the transition is smooth and effective. She says, among other things, the process will require citizens to change certain colonial mind-sets that persist in modern Jamaica.
Transitioning from a constitutional monarchy to a republic means different things to different Jamaicans across the country. Minister of Legal and Constitutional Affairs, Marlene Malahoo Forte says it is a critical step for our young nation to complete the move to independence. In an exclusive interview at Jamaica House with Darren Mara and his team from SBS TV Australia, Mrs. Malahoo Forte pointed out that the move to independence is “much larger than what has been done so far”. In this second portion of their discussion, she goes into greater detail about what the change to a Republic will mean for the country.
Jamaica is now on the path towards transitioning from a Constitutional Monarchy to a Republic. To breakdown in greater detail the status of Jamaica’s Constitutional reform process, Minister of Legal and Constitutional Affairs, Marlene Malahoo Forte, sat down for an exclusive interview at Jamaica House with Darren Mara and his team from SBS TV Australia. For this week’s You and The Law, we bring you part one of their discussion.
A new Bail Act is coming. Recently the Bill was laid in the House of Representatives by Legal and Constitutional Affairs Minister, Marlene Malahoo Forte. The Bail Act 2022, consisting of 24 Clauses and four Schedules, will repeal and replace the existing Act of 2000 and reform the bail framework in the criminal justice system.
The dynamic nature of her profession and her thirst for knowledge has kept Ms. Simmons in the legal profession for some 31 years. For her outstanding contribution to the Legal Profession and to the Judiciary of Jamaica, The Honorable Justice Nicole Simmons will be conferred with the Order of Distinction in the Rank of Commander (CD) on Heroes Day, October 17.
The Office of the Public Defender was established in 2000 to investigate and seek redress on behalf of Jamaicans whose Constitutional rights have been violated. King’s Counsel, Carolyn Reid-Cameron, has been sworn in as Public Defender by Governor General, Sir Patrick Allen. Mrs. Reid-Cameron is the second woman to be appointed to the post. She previously served as Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions before entering private practice in 1996.
Members of the commuting public are now better able to secure real-time ground transportation services following the recent unveiling of new ride-hailing mobile application (app) DoGetGo.
The Ministry of Legal and Constitutional Affairs is to embark on a public education campaign geared at sensitizing Jamaicans at home and in the Diaspora about the laws of Jamaica and the rights of citizens.
On this week’s You and the Law, we’re looking at the steady decline in case backlogs across the court system and the work of the Judiciary to continue this trend.
Five judges, appointed to serve in the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court, were sworn into office by Governor-General, Sir. Patrick Allen during a recent ceremony at King’s House.
On this week’s You and the Law, we’re continuing our look at case law and how legal precedents are set, followed and utilized in the judicial system with Attorney-At-Law Craig Carter.
On this week’s You and the Law, we’re looking at case law and how legal precedents are set, followed and utilized in the judicial system with Attorney-at-law, Craig Crater.
With COVID-19 spurring efforts to fast-track the implementation of technology within the courts, President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Patrick Brooks says the pandemic has shifted the court’s processes for the better
On this week’s You and the Law, we’re getting into some history and looking at the Court of Appeal’s 60 years of service to Jamaica’s judicial system.
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