Jamaica

House of Representatives

Political system
Parliamentary system
Structure of parliament
Bicameral
IPU membership
Yes

Parliamentary mandate

Start and end of mandate

Start of the parliamentary mandate for newly elected members
When the election results are declared
Start of the parliamentary mandate for appointed members
Not applicable
End of the parliamentary mandate
On the day of new elections

Speaker

Mode of designation of the Speaker
The Speaker is elected from among the members of parliament/chamber
Authority that designates the Speaker when the Speaker is designated from outside parliament.
Not applicable
Rank of the Speaker in the hierarchy of the State
Fourth
Speaker becomes interim Head of State in the event of the latter’s death or incapacity
No
Speaker's mandate continues between legislatures
Yes

Speaker terms

The term of the Speaker is different from the term of the house
No
Speaker's term
5 Years
Fixed election date for the Speaker, if any
No information available

Immunity and code of conduct

Parliament’s authorization is required for the detention or prosecution of members
No
There is a Code of conduct for members
No

Salaries and allowances

Members are paid salaries by parliament
Yes
(2023)
Basic salary, per year
12,532,699 JMD
(2023)
Basic salary, per year in PPP
159,693
(2023)
Basic allowances
248,400 JMD
Basic allowance in PPP
3,165
Names of the basic allowances

Members of Parliament receive a constituency travel allowance of 248,400 JMD (rural Members of Parliament) and 124,200 JMD (urban Members of Parliament) and a subsistence allowance of 300 JMD paid for each meeting attended.

Attendance allowance
300 JMD
Attendance allowance in PPP
4
Periodicity of attendance allowance
Other

Notes: per meeting

Members pay income tax on salaries
Yes
Members pay income tax on allowances
Yes
Members can have remunerated employment outside parliament
Yes
Members are required to declare income from other employment to parliament
Yes
Additional salaries and allowances provided for leadership positions
No information available

Facilities, services and allowances for constituency work

Personal staff to work directly for the parliamentarian
No
Office at parliament
No
Constituency office
Yes
Housing
No
Other cash or in-kind allowances for constituency work
Yes

Notes: Constituency Travel; Constituency Expense

Additional salaries and allowances for leadership positions
List of salaries and allowances for leadership positions
Salary Allowances
Speaker Yes Yes
Committee Chair Yes Yes

Notes: Committee Chairmen who are not ministers

Salary of the Speaker
22,870,314 JMD
(2026)
Salary of the Speaker in PPP
291,416
(2026)
Parliament determines the amount of salaries
No
Name of the institution outside parliament which determines the amount

Cabinet

Parliament determines the amount of allowances
No
The parliamentary salary is determined in reference to another salary scale
Yes
Reference scale used for parliamentary salaries
Civil service salary scale

Notes: Prior to independence, under French administration, women were granted the right to vote under the Loi-cadre Deferre, adopted on 23 June 1956. This right was confirmed at independence.

Year data was last reported

2012

Participation in the government

Members of the government must also be members of parliament
Other

Notes: Members of the Executive can come from either chamber; the Prime Minister and Minister of Finance must be Members of Parliament.

Number of members of the parliament/chamber who are also members of the government
Click for historical data
Members for whom data is available
63
(2020)
Percentage of members of parliament/chamber who are also members of the government
Click for historical data

Historical data for IPU membership

Historical data for IPU membership
Year IPU membership
2020-09
List of values for 2020-09
No
2019-04
List of values for 2019-04
No
2018-06
List of values for 2018-06
No