The parliament is a group of people responsible for passing laws in Jamaica. These laws are called acts of parliament, legislations, or statutes. The Parliament of Jamaica consists of two houses and is thus considered a bicameral system. The two houses are the upper house, also called the Senate, and the lower house also called the House of Representatives.
The Senate is composed of 21 nominated members called senators. Thirteen (13) of the 21 senators are recommended by the Prime Minister, which results in their appointment by the Governor General. The remaining 8 of the 21 senators are recommended by the leader of the opposition and consequently appointed by the Governor-General.
The House of Representatives consists of 63 elected members. These members are elected by citizens of Jamaica in a general election. Jamaica is divided into 63 official areas called constituencies. In a general election, candidates compete for the votes of people residing in these constituencies. The candidates who get the most votes will sit in the House of Representatives as members of parliament representing the constituency that elected them