The Ministry of Justice (headed by the Minister of Justice) was established in 2001 after having severed ties with the Ministry of National Security and Justice. As a result, prior to the change in 2001, there are past individuals who were referred to as the Minister of National Security and Justice. Additionally, certain Ministers of Justice has also served simultaneously as the Attorney General of Jamaica. The Ministry of Justice is responsible for tasks such as administering legislation, delivering justice services, and providing policy support and analyses of law-related issues." [1]
See Attorney General of Jamaica for a listing of the individuals who served pre-1962.
Sir Shridath Surendranath Ramphal, often known as Sir Sonny Ramphal, is a Guyanese politician who was the second Commonwealth Secretary-General, holding the position from 1975 to 1990. He was also the foreign minister of Guyana from 1972 to 1975, and assistant attorney general of the West Indies Federation from 1958 to 1962.
The Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) is one of the two major political parties in Jamaica, the other being the People's National Party (PNP). While its name might suggest that it is a social democratic party, the JLP is actually a conservative party.
Delano Franklyn was a Jamaican attorney-at-Law, a Justice of the Peace and a Notary Public and one of the founding partners of the law firm Wilson & Franklyn.
The monarchy of Jamaica is a system of government in which a hereditary monarch is the sovereign and head of state of Jamaica. The current Jamaican monarch and head of state, since 8 September 2022, is King Charles III. As sovereign, he is the personal embodiment of the Jamaican Crown. Although the person of the sovereign is equally shared with 14 other independent countries within the Commonwealth of Nations, each country's monarchy is separate and legally distinct. As a result, the current monarch is officially titled King of Jamaica and, in this capacity, he and other members of the royal family undertake public and private functions domestically and abroad as representatives of the Jamaican state. However, the monarch is the only member of the royal family with any constitutional role.
Attorney General of Jamaica is the chief law officer in Jamaica.
Dorothy Lightbourne is the former Minister of Justice and the Attorney General of Jamaica from September 2007 to July 2011 when she was removed by Prime Minister Bruce Golding and replaced by Delroy Chuck as Minister of Justice and by Ransford Braham as Attorney General. She also served as the Leader of Government Business or Majority Leader of the Senate from September 2007 to July 2011.
Current and past governments of Afghanistan have included a Minister of Justice in the Afghan cabinet.
The Ministries of Jamaica are created at the discretion of the Prime Minister of Jamaica to carry out the functions of Government. As of 2016, the Prime Minister is The Most Honorable Andrew Holness, ON, MP. The agencies of Jamaica are created by both Parliamentary law and assigned to ministers to oversee. The governance structure consists of ministries with portfolios that have agencies that carry out its functions.
The Minister of Finance and the Public Service is Jamaica's chief financial official in charge of formulating both monetary and financial policies. He works alongside the Bank of Jamaica and its Governor.
General elections were held in Jamaica on 25 February 2016. The elections were largely a contest between the governing People's National Party (PNP) and the opposition Jamaica Labour Party (JLP). The result was a narrow victory for the JLP, which won 32 of the 63 seats. One political commentator described the poll as "the closest election Jamaica has ever had".
Raphael Carl Rattray QC was a Jamaican jurist and politician.
The Office of the Attorney-General & Ministry of Legal Affairs provides legal advice to the government of the Bahamas in national and international matters.
The Ministry of Justice of Liberia is an organisation responsible for providing "effective, efficient and excellent public safety and legal services which promote the rule of law, ensure the safety and security of the public and uphold the interest of the government and people of the Republic of Liberia."
The Ministry of Justice of Laos existed as far back as the Royal Lao Government (1940s). It was not until the first Laos government in 1975 that the ministry took a more active role in the creation and operation of the judiciary, court system, and the rights and freedoms of Laotian citizens. Additionally, the Prime Minister might guide the Ministry of Justice's role in regards to the legislative branch, the dissemination of law, and the promotion of legal education.
Jamaica is the first English-speaking country in the Caribbean to achieve universal adult suffrage and grant women the right to be elected to Parliament. Between 1944 and 2020, a total of 47 women have been elected as Members of the House of Representatives. As of September 2020 there are 18 women in the House of Representatives, the highest ever. This is a new all-time high at 29% and is the first time that female representation in the House of Representatives stands at more than a quarter of the total membership.
Marisa Colleen Dalrymple-Philibert is a Jamaican attorney-at-law and politician, representing the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP). She is the 15th and current Speaker of the House of Representatives.
Eli Joseph Matalon, OJ was a Jamaican businessman and politician, representing the People's National Party (PNP). He served as Mayor of Kingston from 1971 to 1973, as Minister of Education from 1973 to 1974, and as the first Minister of National Security and Justice from 1974 to 1976.
Ralph Eugene Brown OJ, CD was a Jamaican politician who represented the People's National Party (PNP). He served twice as mayor of Kingston from 1974 to 1977 and again from 1986 to 1989. He was Minister of Works (1978–1980), and Minister of Local Government and Community Development (1989–1992).
Anthony Michael "Tony" Spaulding was a Jamaican attorney-at-law and politician. A political firebrand, he served as a vice president of the People's National Party (PNP), Member of Parliament for the Saint Andrew Southern constituency, and Minister of Housing under Prime Minister Michael Manley.