Jamaica’s Minister of Constitutional Affairs, Marlene Malahoo Forte, says that the work being done to transition the country from a constitutional monarchy to a republic is more than 50 per cent complete.
The most recent development was the tabling of the Constitution (Amendment) (Republic) Bill, 2024, in December last year. Malahoo Forte (pic) stated that the effort to reform the Constitution is “not just about talk, and it truly begins when the Bill is before Parliament.”
“You can only change the provisions of the Constitution by a Bill amending those provisions,” she said.
“With the Bill in Parliament, we are more than 50 per cent along the way. I would say that once the review is complete, the next step is debating and passing the Bill in the House of Representatives.”
The Bill is currently before a Joint Select Committee of Parliament. Following its review, a report will be produced to inform the debate in both Houses of Parliament.
Once passed in the House of Representatives, the Bill will then be sent to the Senate. The Minister explained that if the Senate does not complete its vote on the Bill within the timeframe prescribed by the Constitution—one month—it will be deemed rejected, and the Bill will be returned to the House.
“We are going to be overtaken by the general election,” the Minister said.
“The good thing is that the alteration process in the Constitution recognises that, and so the work can continue across different Parliaments. So, we are more than halfway there, both critically and qualitatively.
“Having the Bill in Parliament is, I would say, the biggest achievement we have made so far in the process of reforming the Constitution to transition to a republic.”
