C ommo nwe a l t h memb e r c o u n t r i e s After a violent campaign, the general election in October 2002 was largely free of violence. In a closer-fought contest than in 1997, the People’s National Party (PNP) won an unprecedented fourth successive victory with 34 seats and 52 per cent of the votes and P. J. Patterson was returned as Prime Minister. The Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) took the remaining 26 seats. Following his return to the JLP in 2002 (he had left the JLP in 1995 to found and lead the National Democratic Movement), in 2005 Bruce Golding succeeded the party’s veteran leader Edward Seaga as party leader; Seaga had been leader in government and opposition for 31 years. Professor Kenneth Hall succeeded Sir Howard Felix Cooke as Governor-General in February 2006 and Portia Simpson- Miller succeeded Patterson as Prime Minister when he retired after 14 consecutive years in office in March 2006. In the September 2007 general election, the opposition JLP, led by Golding, won a narrow victory with 33 seats and 50.1 per cent of votes, while PNP took 27 seats and 49.8 per cent. There was a 60 per cent turnout. Dr Patrick Allen succeeded Sir Kenneth Hall as Governor- General on his retirement in February 2009. On 25 September 2011 Bruce Golding announced his retirement as JLP leader and Prime Minister. In early October 2011 the JLP chose education minister Andrew Holness as its new leader and Holness was sworn in as Prime Minister on 23 October. At 39 he was the country’s youngest ever Prime Minister. The PNP won the early general election of December 2011, securing 42 of the 63 elective seats (increased from 60 since the 2007 election) and 53 per cent of the vote; the JLP took the balance of 21 seats and 46.3 per cent. Only some 53 per cent of the registered voters cast their vote. PNP leader Portia Simpson-Miller was sworn in as Prime Minister for a second time. Local government Ministry: Local Government and Community Development Association: Jamaica Association of Local Government Officers Local government is provided for by the Parish Councils Act 1887, the Kingston City Corporation Act 1923 and the Municipalities Act 2003, and not by the constitution. The Ministry of Local Government and Community Development is responsible for local government. There are 14 local authorities, comprising 12 parish councils (11 of which are single-tier) and the Kingston and St Andrew Corporation (single-tier). The Portmore Municipal Council within the parish of St Catherine is the only second-tier authority. Local elections are held every four years. The local authorities have the power to raise revenue, for example from property taxes, licences, fees and fines; and they receive transfers from national government from time to time for specific purposes. Local authorities are responsible for local infrastructure and poor alleviation, and share responsibility with national government for other services such as environmental health; supply of water; and management of development projects. National development plan Vision 2030 Jamaica is the country’s first long-term national development plan; it aims to put Jamaica in a position to achieve developed country status by 2030. It expresses the aspiration for Jamaica to become a country where its citizens enjoy a high quality of life and world-class standards in education, health care and nutrition. Policy Vision 2030 introduces a new paradigm which redefines the strategic direction for Jamaica and aims to put the country on the path to sustainable prosperity. The new paradigm will move the country from dependence on tourism, minerals and agricultural commodities to development of cultural, human, knowledge and institutional capital. The Vision is based on seven guiding principles, aimed at putting people at the centre of the country’s development: Governance institutions Commonwealth Governance Handbook 2013/14 178 Electoral Commission of Jamaica: www.eoj.com.jm Parliament: www.japarliament.gov.jm Supreme Court of Jamaica: supremecourt.gov.jm Vision 2030 Jamaica: www.vision2030.gov.jm Office of the Contractor-General: www.ocg.gov.jm Office of the Prime Minister: www.opm.gov.jm Ministry of Justice: www.moj.gov.jm Ministry of Local Government and Community Development: www.localgovjamaica.gov.jm Ministry of Finance: www.mof.gov.jm Ministry of Industry, Investment and Commerce: www.miic.gov.jm Jamaica Association of Local Government Officers: www.jalgo.org Bank of Jamaica: www.boj.org.jm Jamaica Stock Exchange: www.jamstockex.com Bureau of Standards: www.bsj.org.jm Financial Services Commission: www.fscjamaica.org Private Security Regulation Authority: www.psra.gov.jm Office of Utilities Regulation: www.our.org.jm Civil Aviation Authority: www.jcaa.gov.jm Port Authority: www.portjam.com
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