Cabinet of Jamaica

The Cabinet of Jamaica is the ultimate decision-making body of the executive within the Westminster system of government in traditional constitutional theory. The Cabinet of Jamaica is the principal instrument of government policy. It consists of the Prime Minister, and a minimum of thirteen other Ministers of Government, who must be members of one of the two Houses of Parliament. Not more than four members of the Cabinet may be members of the Senate. The Minister of Finance must be an elected member of the House of Representatives.^[1] The Shadow Cabinet of Jamaica is seen as the alternative to the Cabinet of Jamaica, led by the Leader of the Opposition (Jamaica), and is charged with fairly criticizing and providing alternative policy to that proposed by the Government.^[2]

The Cabinet of Jamaica is currently composed of The Jamaica Labour Party members because the party won the 2020 General elections.^[3]

The following are the members of the Government Cabinet led by Prime Minister Andrew Holness.^[4]

Composition

Ministers, Ministers of State, Ministers without Portfolio, and Parliamentary Secretary

Each minister is responsible for the general administration of at least one government portfolio, and heads a corresponding ministry or ministries. The most important minister, following the prime minister, is the Minister of Finance, while other high-profile ministries include foreign affairs, national security, industry and health.

Further, the prime minister may recommend the governor general appoint to Cabinet some ministers of state and ministers without portfolio. Ministers of state often assume one responsibility of a ministry and are not considered as a part of the Cabinet. In the Jamaican press, Ministers of State of often referred to as Junior Ministers. Ministers without portfolio, often working within the Office of the prime minister, assuming one of the prime minister's subsidiary roles (excluding that of Minister of Defence). One exception exists within the current Cabinet.

Ministers of Second Administration

Ministry or Department	Minister	Ministerial title	Since
Office of the Prime Minister	Andrew Holness, MP	Prime Minister Minister of Defence, Economic Growth and Job Creation (re-incorporates the Housing, Urban Renewal, Environment and Climate Change Portfolio formerly under the Ministry of Housing and Urban Renewal)	January 11, 2022
Ministry of National Security	Dr. Horace Chang, MP	Deputy Prime Minister & Minister of National Security	January 11, 2022
Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade	Sen. Kamina Johnson-Smith	Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade	January 11, 2022
Ministry of Finance and the Public Service	Fayval Williams, MP	Minister of Finance and the Public Service	October 30, 2024
Ministry of Health and Wellness	Dr. Christopher Tufton, MP	Minister of Health and Wellness	January 11, 2022
Ministry of Justice	Delroy Chuck, KC, MP	Minister of Justice	January 11, 2022
Ministry of Education, Skills, Youth and Information	Dana Dixon, CD, MP	Minister of Education, Skills, Youth and Information	Oct 30, 2024
Ministry of Science, Energy, Telecommunication and Transport	Daryl Vaz, MP	Minister of Science, Energy, Telecommunications and Transport	May 22, 2023
Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries	Floyd Green., MP	Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Mining	2023
Ministry of Local Government and Community Development	Desmond McKenzie, MP	Minister of Local Government and Community Development	January 11, 2022
Ministry of Industry, Investment and Commerce	Sen. Aubyn Hill	Minister of Industry, Investment and Commerce	January 11, 2022
Ministry of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sports	Olivia Grange, MP	Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sports	January 11, 2022
Ministry of Tourism	Edmund Bartlett, MP	Minister of Tourism	January 11, 2022
Ministry of Labour and Social Security	Pearnel Charles, JR., MP	Minister of Labour and Social Security	January 11, 2022
Ministry of Legal and Constitutional Affairs	Marlene Malahoo Forte, KC, MP	Minister of Legal and Constitutional Affairs	January 11, 2022
Attorney General Department	Derrick McKoy	Attorney General	January 11, 2022

Ministers without Portfolio

Ministry or department	Minister	Ministerial title	Since
Ministry of Economic Growth & Job Creation	Robert Nesta Morgan, MP	Minister without Portfolio in the Ministry of Economic Growth & Job Creation with responsibility for Works	May 22, 2023
Office of the Prime Minister	Homer Davis, MP	Minister without Portfolio in the Office of the Prime Minister (formerly Minister of State in the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development) assigned to Office of the Prime Minister in Western Jamaica (OPM West) to oversee and coordinate special projects and major developments (eg. Montego Bay Perimeter Road) in western parishes.	January 11, 2022
Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation	Sen. Matthew Samuda	Minister without Portfolio in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation with responsibility for Water, Environment & Climate Change	January 11, 2022

Ministers of State

Nine ministers of state have been appointed but are not a part of the cabinet although they will help in the operations of their various sectors.

Ministry or department	Minister	Ministerial title	Since
Ministry of Labour and Social Security	Dr. Norman Alexander Dunn, MP	Minister of State in the Ministry of Labour and Social Security	May 22, 2023
Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade	Alando Terrelonge, MP	Minister of State in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade	May 22, 2023
Ministry of Science, Energy, Telecommunications and Technology	William J.C. Hutchinson, MP	Minister of State in the Ministry of Science, Energy, Telecommunications and Technology	May 22, 2023
Ministry of National Security	Juliet Cuthbert-Flynn, MP	Minister of State in the Ministry of National Security	May 22, 2023
Office of the Prime Minister	Homer Davis, MP	Minister of State in the Office of the Prime Minister	January 11, 2022
Ministry of Finance and the Public Service	Zavia Mayne, MP	Minister of State in the Ministry of Finance and Public Service	May 22, 2023
Ministry of Agriculture and Fishries	Franklyn Witter, MP	Minister of State in the Ministry of Agriculture and Fishries	January 11, 2022

Parliamentary Secretary

Ministry of Department	Minister	Ministerial title	Since
Office of the Prime Minister	Sen. Abka Fitz-Henley	Parliamentary Secretary	May 21, 2024

References

^ "Government of Jamaica - Cabinet Office". Cabinet.gov.jm. Retrieved 2016-03-07.
^ "The Opposition – Jamaica Information Service".
^ "JGREENLAND - Holness' JLP Sweeps Away PNP 49-14 - Lead Stories - Jamaica Gleaner - Friday | September 4, 2020". Jamaica Gleaner. 4 September 2020. Retrieved 2020-09-15.
^ "Cabinet of Jamaica" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2016-03-28. Retrieved 2016-03-07.

[1] "Government of Jamaica - Cabinet Office". Cabinet.gov.jm. Retrieved 2016-03-07.

[2] "The Opposition – Jamaica Information Service".

[3] "JGREENLAND - Holness' JLP Sweeps Away PNP 49-14 - Lead Stories - Jamaica Gleaner - Friday | September 4, 2020". Jamaica Gleaner. 4 September 2020. Retrieved 2020-09-15.

[4] "Cabinet of Jamaica" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2016-03-28. Retrieved 2016-03-07.

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