Frequently Asked Question (FAQs)

Dissolution refers to the official end of a Parliamentary term. Although the Parliament has been dissolved, the Prime Minister, the Opposition Leader, and other Ministers will continue in their roles until the Governor-General makes new appointments

The Governor-General dissolves the Parliament on the Prime Minister’s recommendation. A general election must be held within three months of the Parliament’s dissolution.

When Parliament is dissolved, all pending legislation essentially “dies” and must be reintroduced in the new Parliament after the general election.

When a Parliament is dissolved, the President and the Speaker remain in their positions until the new Parliament convenes. This means they continue to fulfill certain administrative duties related to their office, but are not actively leading parliamentary proceedings.

The chairs in the Chamber of the Jamaican Parliament are green reflecting the traditional colour associated with the House of Commons in the United Kingdom.  Although we have two Houses– the Senate and the House of Representatives– we have one Chamber which is shared by both Houses.  So the Senate uses the green chairs even though the House of Lords in the UK, uses red chairs.

The Clerk to the Clerk to the Houses leads the staff of the Parliament and performs two distinct roles – chief procedural officer and head of parliamentary administration.  As chief procedural officer, the Clerk advises the parliamentarians on proper parliamentary procedure.  As head of administration, the Clerk provides strategic direction and oversees the day-to-day operations of the Parliament.

The Mace is a ceremonial staff that is used in the Parliament to represent royal authority.  The Mace is so important because it must be present for a meeting of either House to be valid.  If the Mace is moved from its position the meeting is automatically stops.  Persons observing a meeting can tell the stage of a Parliamentary meeting is by the position of the Mace of the Table.  Its usual position is on top of the table.  However if the Mace is put on the lower rung or under the Table the meeting off the House has been suspended either for what is called the “committee stage of the Bill process or for another reason.   

The Jamaican Parliament has two Maces: one for the House of Representatives which is the larger of the two, made in 1787 and one for the Senate smaller in size made in 1753.

The Marshal to the Houses is responsible for the carrying the Mace and placing it on the table and removing it from the Table during meetings of the Senate and the House of Representatives.   The Marshal is the only person allowed to touch the Mace during meetings.

When the Maces are not in use the Marshal is responsible for ensuring that the Maces are securely stored.

The President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House are crucial in the smooth functioning of parliament. The President or Speaker, or in his/her absence, the Deputy President or Speaker, chairs meetings, ensures that the rules of Parliament are followed, and debates are conducted in an orderly manner. They are also represent the Senate or the House of Representatives at official functions.

The Hansard is the official record of parliamentary meetings, specifically a verbatim transcript of all parliamentary proceedings. Every speech, every question, every response – it’s all recorded and published. It is done by stenotype writers, ensuring an accurate account of everything said in parliament. These writers must be able to type at least 200 words per minute to capture everything promptly. 

The Parliament of Jamaica is open to the public. Whether you’re a student, stakeholder or just a curious citizen, you can observe live parliamentary meetings from the Visitors’ Gallery. You also have the opportunity to get a guided tour if there are no meetings in progress during your visit.  

Yes. Committees sometimes solicit public opinion on various issues before them. At that point, anyone can say how he/she feels, but this must be done in writing. Members of the public can also speak to their representatives to have them raise a particular issue in Parliament.

Parliamentary staff work from Monday to Friday, not just on meeting days.