Companies Act amendment, constitutional reform among legislative priorities for 2024/2025

The Government has set as one of its key legislative priorities for the upcoming parliamentary year amendments to the Companies Act.

Governor General Sir Patrick Allen says that the draft of the bill is being finalised with the amendments aimed at strengthening the efficiency and operation of companies in Jamaica to create an enabling environment for business.

In his presentation of the Throne Speech at Gordon House today, Sir Patrick also announced that the Government has started the legislative process of constitutional reform.

“The Government continues with the preparation of the Constitution of Jamaica (Amendment of Section 61) Bill to modernise the Words of Enactment, as the first legislative step in a proposed series of amendments, intended to give effect to a Constitution enacted by the Parliament and approved by the people of Jamaica,” he said.

He said legislative priorities for 2024/2025 will focus on amendments toward establishing the Republic of Jamaica; and under the whole-of-Government Legislation Programme accelerate the pace of law reform and improve the quality of legislation promulgated.

At the same time, the Government is proposing to revise various key pieces of health-related legislation this year.

Among the pieces of legislation to be pursued are the Tobacco Control Bill, which will enable Jamaica to be in compliance with its international obligations under the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control and the Food and Drugs (Amendment) Bill, which will allow for the effective regulation of natural health products, including nutraceuticals.

In the 2023/2024 Throne Speech the Government had listed the Tobacco Control bill and the Food and Drugs (Amendment) Bill on its legislative agenda.

The Government is also taking steps in the new legislative year to amend the Nurses and Midwives Act and the Pharmacy Act, to legalise the role of advanced practice registered nurses and enable family nurse practitioners and mental health psychiatric nurse practitioners in public health centres and the University Hospital of the West Indies, to prescribe a list of pharmaceuticals as approved by the Pharmacy Council.

The Governor General also reported that the Government will prioritise key legislative reforms this legislative year to include the Petroleum (Downstream Activities) Bill, which is aimed at creating a modern framework to regulate the quality of fuel imported, supplied, stored and transported.

The Civil Aviation Act will also be amended to foster compliance with current International Civil Aviation Organization standards and practices.

The Petroleum downstream and the Civil Aviation bills appeared in the 2023/2024 for priority attention over that period.

- Edmond Campbell

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