KINGSTON, Jamaica — For decades, Jamaican voters and businesses have had to rely on political tea-leaf reading to guess when a general election might be called. That may soon change. The Constitutional Reform Committee (CRC) has recommended locking the life of Parliament at five years and giving the prime minister a strictly limited, three-month window in which to set the precise polling day.
Why the Clock Matters
Section 64(2) of the Constitution now hands the sitting prime minister sole discretion to dissolve Parliament and trigger an election at any point within its five-year lifespan. The power is routinely used to catch opponents unprepared and to capitalise on swings in public sentiment.
The CRC’s Proposal
The committee’s May 2024 report stops short of naming a single, immovable date, warning that an inflexible calendar could hamstring a small island state that must respond to hurricanes, pandemics and other shocks. Instead, it envisions a fixed five-year parliamentary term followed by a 90-day “election window,” giving campaigners a clear runway while preserving emergency flexibility.
Sparks on the Reform Circuit
At a Private Sector Organisation of Jamaica (PSOJ) virtual forum this week, constitutional attorney Dr Lloyd Barnett publicly pressed Minister of Legal and Constitutional Affairs Marlene Malahoo Forte on why the CRC’s recommendation is still absent from the republic bill now before Parliament. The minister insisted Cabinet has “accepted” the idea but argued it cannot be rushed into law without bipartisan backing and, ultimately, a referendum.
Opposition Senator Donna Scott-Mottley seized on the exchange, pledging that a People’s National Party administration would “move immediately” to legislate fixed-date elections, citing an Anderson poll that found 81 per cent of Jamaicans want the change.
The COVID-19 Precedent
Proponents point to 2020—when Prime Minister Andrew Holness called snap elections during a pandemic—as evidence of the pitfalls of discretionary timing. That move, taken six months before Parliament’s outer limit, was defended by the administration as a way to minimise uncertainty amid lockdowns but has since fuelled calls for reform.Jamaica Gleaner
What Happens Next
- Political Consensus: Both major parties must sign off; without it, no referendum can pass.
- Electoral Commission Review: Technical drafting will likely be routed through the ECJ to align electoral law with a fixed-term framework.
- Referendum Clock: Any alteration to the “life of Parliament” is an entrenched constitutional provision, meaning Jamaicans will have the final say at the ballot box.
The Bottom Line
Investors, voters and civil-society groups are coalescing around a single message: predictable election dates would strengthen governance and economic planning. Whether Parliament cements the five-year term and 90-day window—or opts for another model—the era of political crystal-ball gazing appears to be on its last legs. The only question left is how swiftly lawmakers are willing to turn intent into statute.
