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Jamaica is divided into three counties, Cornwall, Middlesex and
Surrey. These are further divided into fourteen parishes. Each parish possesses
an official called the custos. This Office is actually a very ancient English
office that of keeper of the rolls or principal justice of the peace in
a country. In Jamaica the custos is really the representative of the governor
in the parish.
The administration of a parish is in the hands of the elected parish council.
The duties of the council are not time-consuming. Two of their main fields
of action are in the maintenance of the parish as distinct from the main
roads, and relief works. The two are connected for relief works that consist
mainly of labour on the roads and local employment. Law and order are administered
by a police force, which is the responsibility of the central authorities.
Justice is in the hands of a magistrate who is commonly known as the judge.
The central authorities appoint these magistrates and there is a local
lay magistrate as in England.
Local government is on a small scale and is largely in the hands of the
clerk of council and his staff. Central government presents a different
picture. After the Jamaica Rebellion of 1866, the island surrendered its
traditional form of government and became a crown colony. There was an
elected Assembly, Legislative Council, and an Executive Council, presided
over by the governor. It was a system that gave representation to the white
minority, but not to the masses of the people. Crown colony government
really means that nearly all power is concentrated in the hands of the
governor appointed by the colonial office. He is assisted by Legislative
Council, which consists of a majority of official and nominated members,
with a minority of elected members. However this type of government could
not be maintained, as it was not representative of the people concerned.
Reform was well overdue.
After the second World War the British authorities set about trying to
deliver better housing, health, and education under a new constitution.
In 1944, everyone who was over the age of 21 was given the right to vote
and replaced crown colony government with a two-house legislature, under
which one was nominated and one was elected. The first elections brought
Norman Manley's PNP (People's National Party) into power with the newly
formed Jamaica Labour Party run by Alexander Bustamante taking second place.
In September 1961, the Jamaican people voted for withdrawal from the 'Ten-Island
Federation' and on August 6, 1962 the union flag was lowered and as the
new black, gold and green flag symbolizing Jamaica's independence was hoisted.
However, the years to follow would show that even though the black majority
now had power to rule, they were unable to deal with the emergence of a
developing country. Jamaica has seen and is still experiencing serious
economical debt and difficulty, the rise of political warfare and corruption.
There are now three political parties, the PNP, JLP and the recently formed
NDM (National Democratic Movement) whose main aim is to relive the economy
and provide for the Jamaican people what they have been awaiting- a better
life. Currently under the leadership of the People's National Party led
by Percival James Patterson, Jamaica has seen some relief in social and
economic issues that once were 'burdensome.'
Jamaica still maintains political links with Britain mainly through the
Commonwealth, which Jamaica is a member and the constitution. Even though
the dark side of party activity has led to widespread distrust and hatred
of politicians, it has not led to terminal apathy. Ordinary Jamaicans still
passionately search for political solutions, fired by the desperate need
to eradicate poverty and unemployment.
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Politics in Jamaica