Holness commends retiring Tavares-Finson for ‘impeccable’ service to ECJ

Prime Minister Dr Andrew Holness has hailed King’s Counsel Tom Tavares-Finson’s “impeccable” service to the Electoral Commission of Jamaica, as the veteran commissioner prepares to retire after two decades.

"As a nation, we are grateful to Tom for his impeccable and committed service to the Commission, which is an institution that is important to the good functioning of our democracy," the prime minister said in a statement posted on social media on Wednesday. "He has offered reliable, committed, wise and professional counsel to the Commission, which is worthy of high commendation."

Tavares-Finson has served as a representative of the ruling Jamaica Labour Party.

Holness added that Tavares-Finson has been "a reliable and distinguished champion for democracy, fairness and integrity in the exercise of Jamaica's electoral processes".

The prime minister said the administration is looking forward to Tavares-Finson continuing to serve the country as the Senate president and "the wise counsel which he offers as one of the country's leading attorneys at law and an elder statesman in Jamaica.”

Tavares-Finson, the longest-serving member of the Jamaica Labour Party on the ECJ, confirmed his decision to retire earlier on Wednesday.

“It marks a milestone in a number of areas. It concludes 20 years of service to both the Electoral Advisory Committee and the Electoral Commission of Jamaica,” he said, referring to the commission's forerunner.

“It has been a profound honour and privilege to be entrusted with serving for an extended period of time at the Electoral Commission, which is the heartbeat of the nation's democratic processes. Over the years, I've served as the party representative, representing originally the leader of the opposition and subsequently the prime minister during five general elections, along with several local government elections and many by-elections," he said.

Tavares-Finson said he was proud of several developments throughout his tenure - the development of the electronic voter identification system, political party registration processes, campaign finance regulations, and broader legal and electoral frameworks.

“The Electoral Commission of Jamaica has grown from strength to strength. It is a crucial pillar of the Jamaican democratic process that must be both preserved and protected. Jamaica and our democratic process must come first, always,” he said.

Tavares-Finson’s retirement follows the recent departure of People’s National Party representative on the commission, Wensworth Skeffery. He stepped down at the end of December 2025 and has since been replaced by Maureen Webber.

The ECJ, a statutory body comprising nine members, oversees the conduct of elections in Jamaica, including general, local government, and by-elections.

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