JG - The GG, Church and State

Jamaica Gleaner

The GG, Church and State

Published: Sunday January 18, 2009


Martin Henry, Contributor


Constitutionally, the Jamaican state is a secular democratic state. The State, however, has a strong Christian cultural and legal foundation. And not just any version of Christianity. This is a Church of England-based secular democratic state. The Anglican Church was disestablished here in 1879.
The laws of the land privilege a Christian, Protestant, Anglican view. And nowhere more so than in the special privilege accorded one day of worship above others. Sunday is a weekly public holiday [holy day] by law.

Read the whole article here.

Snippet(s):

"Under our secular democratic Constitution, any citizen could possibly be called upon to represent Her Majesty the Queen as head of state. Citizens include Jews and Seventh-day Adventists and others who regard Saturday/Sabbath as the weekly holy day, and Muslims whose weekly holy day is Friday."

""Every person in Jamaica, the Constitution says, "is entitled to the fundamental rights and freedoms of the individual ... whatever his race, place of origin, political opinions, colour, creed or sex, but subject to respect for the rights and freedoms of others and for the public interest." And, "Except with his own consent, no person shall be hindered in the enjoyment of his freedom of conscience ... the said freedom includes freedom of thought and of religion."

The appointment of Seventh-day Adventist Dr Patrick Allen as the country's next governor general is, therefore, a test of religious diversity and equity.

He will represent the Queen, who is the head of the Jamaican state. "The executive authority of Jamaica is vested in Her Majesty. There shall be a Parliament of Jamaica which shall consist of Her Majesty, a Senate and a House of Representatives. There shall be a Governor-General of Jamaica who shall be appointed by Her Majesty and shall hold office during Her Majesty's pleasure and who shall be Her Majesty's representative in Jamaica."

But the Queen is not only head of state for Britain, Jamaica and several other Commonwealth states, she is the regal titular head of the Church of England. And "a person appointed to the office of Governor-General shall, before entering upon the duties of that office, take and subscribe to the oaths of allegiance and for the due execution of the office of Governor-General in the forms set out in the First Schedule to this Constitution"."

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"One of the most important functions of the office of governor general, which, in practice, is largely ceremonial, is the signing of bills into law.

No governor general of Jamaica has yet refused to sign a bill into law."