Portal:Jamaica/Selected article/1

Politics of Jamaica takes place in a framework of a parliamentary representative democratic constitutional monarchy. Jamaica's current Constitution was drafted in 1962 by a bipartisan joint committee of the Jamaican legislature. It came into force with the Jamaica Independence Act, 1962 of the United Kingdom Parliament, which gave Jamaica political independence with a parliamentary system based on the United Kingdom model. As chief of state, Queen Elizabeth II appoints a largely ceremonial governor general, on the advice of the Prime Minister. Executive power is vested in the cabinet, led by the Prime Minister, and legislative power is vested in both the government and parliament.

Constitutional safeguards include freedom of speech, press, worship, movement, and association. The Judiciary is independent of the executive and the legislature. Jurisprudence is based on English common law.