Constitutional Reform Committee
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The Constitutional Reform Committee is a committee of the Government of Jamaica tasked with revising and reforming Jamaica's constitutional arrangements, including the abolition of the monarchy.
Mandate
[edit]Its mandate is four-fold:[1]
- To assess the implementation of the recommendations of the Joint Select Committee on Constitutional and Electoral Reform (JSCCER), whose report was approved by Parliament in 1995.
- To evaluate the recommendations of the JSCCER on establishing the Office of President.
- To assist in coordinating the required bipartisan collaboration and national consultation during the various phases of reform work.
- To educate the electorate on their role in the referendum process.
Proposed reforms
[edit]The committee was approved by the Cabinet of Jamaica on 16 November 2022 as a consultative, collaborative committee. It was to be supported by a secretariat provided by the Ministry of Legal and Constitutional Affairs.[2] The opposition leader, Mark Golding, criticised the government for excluding discussion of the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council from the purview of the committee.[3]
First phase
[edit]The first phase of reform, expected to run for two months, was to include the repatriation of the Jamaican constitution, the abolition of constitutional monarchy, and the establishment of a republic. The aim was to table legislation in parliament to make Jamaica a republic in May 2023. In late April, Marlene Malahoo Forte said that the scope of the first phase would just be reduced to the abolition of constitutional monarchy: "Maybe we have to deal with the narrow question of just abolishing the monarch in the constitutional make up of Jamaica while we work out the other issues."[4]
Members
[edit]The 14 original members of the committee were announced on 23 March 2023.[1]
| Name | External position | Position within committee | Appointment date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marlene Malahoo Forte | Minister of Legal and Constitutional Affairs | Co-chair | 23 March 2023 |
| Rocky Ricardo Meade | Ambassador Plenipotentiary for National Strategic Interests | Co-chair | 23 March 2023 |
| Derrick McKoy | Attorney General | 23 March 2023 | |
| Tom Tavares-Finson | President of the Senate | 23 March 2023 | |
| Ransford Braham | Senator | 23 March 2023 | |
| Donna Scott-Mottley | Senator | 23 March 2023 | |
| Anthony Hylton | Member of Parliament for Saint Andrew Western | 23 March 2023 | |
| Richard Albert | Professor of Law at the University of Texas at Austin | 23 March 2023 | |
| Lloyd Barnett | Attorney-at-law | 23 March 2023 | |
| Hugh Small | Attorney-at-law | 23 March 2023 | |
| David Henry | Pastor at Swallowfield Chapel | Faith-based society representative | 23 March 2023 |
| Nadeen Spence | Student services manager at Mary Seacole Hall, UWI | Civil society representative | 23 March 2023 |
| Lalieta Davis-Mattis | Chair of the National Committee on Reparations | 23 March 2023 | |
| Sujae Boswell | Former president of the UWI, Mona Guild of Students | Youth advisor | 23 March 2023 |
Criticism
[edit]The appointment of Richard Albert was criticised by Christian groups Jamaica CAUSE and Jamaica Coalition for a Healthy Society as he is a non-national and because of his pro-LGBT views.[5] Dancehall artist Spragga Benz claimed Albert's appointment was a cover for "the West" to promote gender-affirming surgery in Jamaica.[6]
References
[edit]- ^ a b "14-member Constitutional Reform Committee named". The Gleaner. 22 March 2023. Retrieved 18 May 2023.
- ^ Linton, Latonya (16 November 2022). "Cabinet Approves Establishment of Constitutional Reform Committee". Jamaica Information Service. Retrieved 18 May 2023.
- ^ "Constitutional Reform Committee to advise on office of president". The Gleaner. 17 November 2022. Retrieved 18 May 2023.
- ^ "Constitutional Reform Committee's phase one work likely to be reduced - Malahoo Forte". The Gleaner. 20 April 2023. Retrieved 18 May 2023.
- ^ "Christian groups object inclusion of Professor Richard Albert on Constitutional Reform Committee". Radio Jamaica News. 12 April 2023. Retrieved 18 May 2023.
- ^ Gardner, Claudia (29 April 2023). "Dancehall Artists Weigh In On Jamaica's Constitutional Reform Process". Dancehall Mag. Retrieved 18 May 2023.