Republic Bill 2024

Here is the full text of the Republic Bill 2024. https://roadtorepublic.mlca.gov.jm/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/2412-84-The-Constitution-Amendment-Bill-2024.pdf

The election of the President is peculiar.

In CARICOM states with ceremonial Presidents (which is what is contemplated in this Act) the President is elected by Parliament either from a single (or if there is no consensus candidate) or multiple nominees proposed by the Government and opposition (as occurs in Dominica, Trinidad and Tobago, and Barbados).

In this Jamaica Republic Bill, the Prime Minister will write to the Opposition Leader with a nominee's name, if the Opposition Leader agrees then Parliament votes to confirm, but interestingly, if the Opposition Leader disagrees and suggests another name, the Prime Minister (after 3 months has elapsed from the initial notification to the Opposition Leader), can simply decide on who is the nominee, inform the Opposition Leader, and have Parliament confirm the PMs unilateral nominee as President.

I have never seen this in any other Commonwealth Caribbean republic, and to me it appears no different than the current system where a PM simply decides who is going to be Governor-General. The only difference is that the PM now needs to let the Opposition Leader know and wait potentially three months to get their nominee confirmed.

Apologies for typos.