Governor-General

Queen Elizabeth II is the head of state in Jamaica and holds the title Queen of Jamaica; she is represented by a governor-general, who is nominated by the prime minister. The governor-general must have no affiliation to any political party and serves mainly a ceremonial role. As part of allocated duties, the governor-general has to assent to the laws passed by Jamaica’s House of Representatives and the Senate before the laws can take effect. Other duties include naming the date of a general election and appointing ministers under the advice of the prime minister.