Parliament of Jamaica facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Houses of Parliament Ouses a Paaliment
14th Parliament of Jamaica
Type
Type	Bicameral
Houses	Senate House of Representatives
Leadership
Monarch	Charles III Since 8 September 2022
Governor-General	Patrick L. Allen Since 26 February 2009
Speaker of the House of Representatives	Juliet Holness, JLP Since 26 September 2023
President of the Senate	Thomas Tavares-Finson, JLP Since 10 March 2016
Structure
Seats	84 21 Senators 63 Members of Parliament
Senate political groups	HM Government      Jamaica Labour Party (13) Official Opposition      People's National Party (8)
House of Representatives political groups	HM Government      Jamaica Labour Party (49) Official Opposition      People's National Party (14)
Elections
Senate voting system	Appointed by the Governor-General of Jamaica on advice of the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition
House of Representatives voting system	First-past-the-post
House of Representatives last election	3 September 2020
House of Representatives next election	3 September 2025
Meeting place
George William Gordon House, Kingston, Jamaica

The Parliament of Jamaica is like the main decision-making body for the country of Jamaica. It's where laws are made and important choices about how the country is run are discussed. You can also call it the Houses of Parliament.

This Parliament has three main parts:

• The Crown: This is represented by the Governor-General, who acts on behalf of the King.
• The Senate: This group has 21 members called senators. They are chosen by the Governor-General, usually based on advice from the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition. The Senate is sometimes called the "Upper House."
• The House of Representatives: This group has 63 members, called Members of Parliament (MPs). People in Jamaica vote directly for these MPs every five years. This is often called the "Lower House."

Together, these parts work to create and approve laws for Jamaica.

How Jamaica's Government Works

Jamaica uses a system of government called the Westminster system. This system is similar to how the United Kingdom runs its government. In this system, the Prime Minister and the government need the support of most members in the House of Representatives to make and pass new laws.

Both the Senate and the House of Representatives are important. However, the House of Representatives has a very special role. This is because the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition must be members of this House. It's also where most new laws start their journey.

The Parliament Building: Gordon House

The Parliament of Jamaica meets in a special building called Gordon House. It is located at 81 Duke Street in Kingston. This building was constructed in 1960. It was named to honor George William Gordon, a very important Jamaican hero.

There are plans for a new parliament building to be built near Gordon House. The start of construction was delayed from its original plan of early 2021. The project was still in the process of finding companies to do the work in May 2024.

The House of Representatives: Your Elected Voices

The House of Representatives is often called the "Lower House." This is where the people you vote for, called Members of Parliament (MPs), work. These MPs represent different areas of Jamaica. They are chosen by citizens in elections every five years.

How Members Are Chosen

Currently, there are 63 Members of Parliament in the House of Representatives. Each MP is elected by voters in their specific area, called a constituency. The person who gets the most votes in their area wins the seat. The most recent election for these members was on September 3, 2020.

The Senate: A House of Appointed Leaders

The Senate is known as the "Upper House." Unlike the House of Representatives, its members are not directly elected by the public. Instead, they are appointed by the Governor-General.

Who Are the Senators?

There are 21 senators in total. Thirteen of them are chosen based on the advice of the Prime Minister. The other eight are chosen based on the advice of the Leader of the Opposition. This mix ensures that different viewpoints are heard in the Senate.

Important Roles in the Senate

The Senate has important leaders, such as the President of the Senate, who leads the meetings. There is also a Leader of Government Business and a Leader of Opposition Business. These leaders help guide discussions and decisions.

Changing Jamaica's Constitution

To make big changes to Jamaica's Constitution, which is the main set of rules for the country, a special agreement is needed. Two-thirds of the members in both the House of Representatives and the Senate must agree. This means that senators from both the government and the opposition parties need to work together to make these important changes.

The Last General Election (2020)

The most recent general election for the House of Representatives happened on September 3, 2020. In this election, people across Jamaica voted for their Members of Parliament.

Election Results Summary

• The Jamaica Labour Party won 49 seats. This meant they formed the government.
• The People's National Party won 14 seats. They became the official opposition.
• No independent candidates won any seats.

This election determined which party would lead the country and how many representatives each major party would have in the House of Representatives.

Images for kids

• 

  Results of the 2020 Jamaican general election

See also

In Spanish: Parlamento de Jamaica para niños

• Politics of Jamaica
• List of speakers of the House of Representatives of Jamaica
• List of presidents of the Senate of Jamaica
• Women in the House of Representatives of Jamaica