KEY FACTS Joined Commonwealth: 1962 Population: 2,784,000 (2013) GDP p.c. growth: 0.5% p.a. 1990–2011 UN HDI 2014: World ranking 96 Official language: English Time: GMT minus 5 hrs Currency: Jamaican dollar (J$) Geography Area: 10,991 sq km Coastline: 1,020 km Capital: Kingston Jamaica, whose name comes from the Arawak Xaymaca, meaning ‘Land of Wood and Water’, lies south of Cuba and west of Haiti. Constitution Status: Monarchy under Queen Elizabeth II Legislature: Parliament Independence: 6 August 1962 Jamaica is a constitutional monarchy with Queen Elizabeth II as head of state. She is represented by a Governor-General appointed on the recommendation of the Prime Minister. The country is a parliamentary democracy with a bicameral legislature and party system based on universal adult suffrage. The 21 senators are appointed by the Governor-General, 13 of them on the advice of the Prime Minister and eight on the advice of the Leader of the Opposition. The House of Representatives has 63 directly elected members. The Governor-General appoints the Prime Minister (the member of parliament best able to lead the majority of the House) and Leader of the Opposition. The cabinet (Prime Minister and at least 11 ministers) has executive responsibility. Elections are held at intervals not exceeding five years. The constitution may be amended by a simple majority of both houses except for the entrenched provisions (that can be amended only by two-thirds majority of both houses) and specially entrenched clauses (as above, plus ratification through referendum). Judicial system Supreme court: Supreme Court of Jamaica Ministry: Justice The justice system is based on English common law and comprises the Supreme Court (including the Commercial Court, Gun Court Commonwealth Governance 176 Handbook 2014/15 and Revenue Court), the Court of Appeal, the magistrates courts (including traffic courts), the family courts and courts of petty sessions. The Privy Council in the UK is the final court of appeal, though in May 2012 the government announced its intention to bring legislation before parliament to replace the Privy Council with the Caribbean Court of Justice, which was established in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, in 2005. In 2014 no such legislation had been brought before parliament. Government and politics Last elections: 29 December 2011 Next elections: 2016 Head of state: Queen Elizabeth II, represented by Governor-General Sir Patrick Linton Allen (2009–) Head of government: Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller Ruling party: People’s National Party Women MPs: 13% After a violent campaign, the October 2002 general election 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 52.2 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 Jamaica
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