KINGSTON, Jamaica, CMC – Legal and Constitutional Affairs Minister Marlene Malahoo Forte says the Constitutional Reform Committee (CRC) is currently deliberating matters regarding the Office of the President, regarded as a critical feature of a Republican State.
“From what we hear from Jamaicans, we know that they don’t want a mere ceremonial President,” said Malahoo Forte, who chairs the CRC.
“After much deliberation and consideration, the Committee has categorized three forms of presidents for consideration, and the one that we believe comes closest to what we hear Jamaicans are asking for is a non-executive president as a formal head of state,” she added during a Jamaica Information Service (JIS) ‘Think Tank’ on Thursday.
“It’s also important to point out that the presidential system differs from the parliamentary system. Some people think that only former colonies of the United Kingdom have a parliamentary system. This is not true. We want this system that is suitable for Jamaica,” she said.
The CRC work is building on recommendations of the 1995 Joint Select Committee on Constitutional and Electoral Reform (JSCCER) that has recommended that a new Constitution should create a Jamaican Republic with the head of state being someone above partisan politics.
The recommendation states that the President should be appointed on the nomination of the Prime Minister in consultation with the Leader of the Opposition, subject to Parliamentary confirmation by a two-thirds majority on a secret ballot.
A super-majority would signal consensus on the selection of the President.
Malahoo Forte said the CRC has been paying close attention to how the head of state is instated.
“When we deliberated on the option of putting the candidate to the people, we considered whether that would cause the process to be politicized; and if we do not, if we are looking for a President who would be above the political fray, then the process should also guard against politicizing the selection process,” she said.
While no final decisions have been made regarding the specifications surrounding the Office of the President, the nominee is expected to represent national identity and unity, be above the partisan fray, and act as a neutral arbiter.
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