The island - discovered by Christopher COLUMBUS in 1494 - was settled by the Spanish early in the 16th century. The native Taino, who had inhabited Jamaica for centuries, were gradually exterminated and replaced by African slaves. England seized the island in 1655 and established a plantation economy based on sugar, cocoa, and coffee. The abolition of slavery in 1834 freed a quarter million slaves, many of whom became small farmers. Jamaica gradually increased its independence from Britain. In 1958 it joined other British Caribbean colonies in forming the Federation of the West Indies. Jamaica gained full independence when it withdrew from the Federation in 1962. Deteriorating economic conditions during the 1970s led to recurrent violence as rival gangs affiliated with the major political parties evolved into powerful organized crime networks involved in international drug smuggling and money laundering. Violent crime, drug trafficking, and poverty pose significant challenges to the government today. Nonetheless, many rural and resort areas remain relatively safe and contribute substantially to the economy.
Jamaica is a parliamentary democracy under a constitutional monarchy and part of the Commonwealth realm.
Members:
Resources
Displaying 16 - 20 of 77Town and Country Planning Act.
This Act makes provision for the appointment of Town and Country Planning Authority, the constitution of the Advisory Planning Committee and the establishment of the Compensation Assessment Board and provides rules relative to the development of land and related matters.The Act grants the power to the Authority to issue development orders and prescribes conditions and procedures for the preparation, confirmation and modification of such orders and of provisional development orders. Development orders shall provide rules for the development of land in a specified area.
Valuation Act.
This Act provides rules for the valuation of real property and requires the Minister to appoint for each parish a Board of Assessment. The Board shall have full power to assess the value of any property in respect of which any assessment has not been accepted and is in dispute. If the Commissioner of Inland Revenue or any person affected by the assessment of the Board is dissatisfied in any respect with the assessment it shall be lawful to appeal to the Revenue Court and the decision of such Court shall be final and binding.
Registration (Strata Titles) (Amendment) Act, 2009 (No. 17 of 2009).
This Act amends the Registration (Strata Titles) Act. It, among other things, establishes the Commission of Strata Corporations and the Strata Appeals Tribunal and in provisions covering a wide variety of matters including the Strata Corporations Register, audit and proceedings of the Tribunal. The functions of the Commission shall be to: a) monitor, regulate and supervise strata corporations; (b) keep or cause to be kept a register of such corporations; (c) facilitate the resolution of disputes. The Act defines the jurisdiction of the Strata Appeals Tribunal.
Registration (Strata Titles) (Amendment) Regulations, 2010.
These Regulations amend the Registration (Strata Titles) Regulations in relation with application to the Commission of Strata Corporations by a corporation for first registration pursuant to section 4(4) of the Act and renewal of registration, and (application for) waiver or reduction of the prescribed fees pursuant to section 4A of the Act. They amend the First Schedule by adding various forms and insert a Second Schedule.
Town and Country Planning (Negril and Green Island Area Local Planning Authority) (Validation and Integrity) Act, 2010 (No. 29 of 2010).
This Act makes provision for the validation of development in the Negril and Green Island Area provisionally authorized by the Negril and Green Island Area Local Planning Authority in accordance with sections 5, 7 and 10 of the Town and Country Planning Act and pursuant to the Town and Country Planning (Negril and Green Island Area) Provisional Development Order, 1981. The Act also makes a consequential amendment to General Notice No. 215 of 2005.