How many Laws does Jamaica have?

 

Written by: Damalio Powell

What is the difference between a law and an Act?

Well, an Act is a subset of law that is passed by the legislative branch, while laws are the rules and regulations that are enforced by the government. So, while laws are enforced, acts are created for general awareness of rules and regulation that are in place and is represented by a bill that will not be enforced until it becomes law.

Jamaica has over 1000 Acts/laws at the time of writing. You may view some of them in the table below under their various categories.

 

Constitutional Law
Constitution of Jamaica

 

Human Rights Law
The Charter of Rights

 

Labour Law
Apprenticeship Act
Employment (Equal Pay for Men and Women) Act
Employment (Termination and Redundancy Payments) Act 1974
Employment Agencies Regulation Act
Factories Act
Foreign Nationals and Commonwealth Citizens (Employment) Act
Holiday With Pay Act
Labour Officers (Powers) Act
Labour Relations and Industrial Disputes Act
Maternity Leave Act
Minimum Wage Act 2018
Pensions Act
Recruiting of Workers Act
The Opticians Act
The Professional Engineers Registration Act
Trade Union Act
Women (Employment of) Act
Workmen's Compensation Act
Sexual Harassment (Protection and Prevention) Act

 

Civil Law
Marriage Act
Muslim Marriage Act
The Hindu Marriage Act
Land Surveyors Act
Land Valuation Act
Record of Deeds, Wills and Letters Act
Registration of Titles
Settled Land Act
The Child Care and Protection Act
The Children (Adoption of) Act
The Family Property (Rights of Spouses) Act
The Hire-Purchase Act
The Land Acquisition Act
The Rent Restriction Act
The Status of Children Act
The Wills Act
Unlawful Possession of Property Act

 

Criminal Law
The Domestic Violence Act
Drug Offences (Forfeiture of Proceeds) Act
Firearms Act
Money Laundering Act
Parole Act
Terrorism Prevention Act
The Corruption Prevention Act
The Crime (Prevention of) Act
The Criminal Justice (Administration) Act
The Criminal Records (Rehabilitation of Offenders) Act
The Dangerous Drugs Act
The Extradition Act
The Fingerprints Act
The Forgery Act
The Independent Commission Of Investigations Act, 2008
The Mutual Assistance (Criminal Matters) Act
The Police (Civilian Oversight) Authority Act
The coinage offences Act

Administrative / Public Law
The Education Act
Aliens Act
Coroners Act
Interpretation Act
Office of Utilities regulation Act, 1995
Passport Act
Public Bodies Management & Accountability Act
The Archives Act
The Cremation Act
The Immigration Restriction (Commonwealth Citizens) Act
The Jamaican Nationality Act
The Registration ( Births and Deaths) Act
The Tourist Board Act
The Weights and Measures Act 1976

 

Tax Law
Property Tax Act
Customs Act 1955
Customs Duties (Dumping and Subsidies) Act 1999
Excise Duty Act
Income Tax Act
Insurance Act
Provisional Collection of Tax Act
Revenue Administration Act
Stamp Duty Act
Tax Collection Act
The Assets (Tax (Specified Bodies) Act
The Betting Gaming and Lotteries Act
The Education Tax Act
The General Consumption Tax Act
The Land Improvement Tax Act
The Land Taxation (Relief) Act
Transfer Tax Act
Travel Tax Act

 

Litigation Law
The Evidence Act
The Judicature (Appellate Jurisdiction) Act
The Judicature (Family Court) Act
The Judicature (Resident Magistrates) Act
The Judicature (Supreme Court) Act
The Judiciary Act
The Jury Act
The Justices of the Peace Jurisdiction Act
Traffic Court Act

 

Commercial Law
Consumer Protection Act
Spirit Control Act
Spirit Licence Act
Standards Act
Statistics Act
The Caribbean Investment Corporation Act
The Crown Agents (Power to Vary Investments) Act
The Hotels (Incentives) Act
The Investment Disputes Awards (Enforcement) Act
The Jamaica Export Free Zones Act
Trade Act
Electronics Transactions Act

 

Company Law
Companies Act
Fair Competition Act
The Co-Operatives Societies Act
The Partnerships (Limited) Act
The Registration of Business Names Act

 

Health Law
Food Storage and Prevention of Infestation Act
Mental Health Act
National Health Services Act
Nursing Homes Registration Act
Pharmacy Act
Processed Food Act
Public Health Act
Quarantine Act
The Food and Drugs Act
The National Health Fund Act
The Processed Food Act 1959

 

Mining Law
Bauxite (Production Levy) Act
Minerals (Vesting) Act
Mining Act
The Bauxite and Alumina Industries (Special Provisions) Act

 

Banking Law
Executive Agencies Act 2002
Financial Investigations Division Act
Jamaica Mortgage Bank Act
Microcredit Act 2021
Securities Act
The Bank of Jamaica Act
The Banking Act
The Bankruptcy Act
The Caribbean Development Bank Act
The Credit Reporting Act 2008
The Financial Administration and Audit Act
The Jamaica Mortgage Bank
Workers Savings and Loan Bank Act
The Loans (Equity Investment Bonds) Act

 

Insurance Law
Mortgage Insurance Act
Motor Vehicles Insurance (Third-Party Risks) Act
National Insurance Act
The Coconut Insurance Act
The Deposit Insurance Act
The Insurance Act

 

Communications And Media Law
Telecommunications Act
Access to Information Act 2002
Broadcasting and Radio Re-Diffusion Act (Amendment) 2008
Radio and Telegraph Control Act

 

Transport And Maritime Law
Airports (Economic Regulation) Act
Aquaculture Inland and Marine Products Act
Civil Aviation Act
Harbours Act
Main Roads Act
Marine Insurance Act
Maritime Areas Act
Public Passenger Transport (Kingston Metropolitan Transport Region) Act
Public Transport (Rural Area) Act
Road Traffic Act
Shipping (Incentives) Act
Shipping Act
The Airports Authority Act
The Bills of Lading Act
The Carriage of Goods Act
The Jamaica Railway Corporation Act
Toll Roads Act
Transport Authority Act

 

Environmental Law
Forest Act
Clean Air Act (1964)
Endangered Species Act
Land Development and Utilization Act
National Solid Waste Management Act (2002)
Natural Resources Conservation Authority Act
Noise Abatement Act (1997)
The Beach Control Act
The Fishing Industry Act
The Natural Resources Conservation Authority Act
Towns Nuisances Prevention Act (1887)
Water Resources Act
Wildlife Protection Act

 

Intellectual Property Law
Layout-Design (Topographies) Act
Merchandise Marks Act
Patent Act
The Copyright Act
The Designs Act
The Merchandise Marks Act
The Protection of Geographical Indications Act, 2004 (Act 5 of 2004)
Trademarks Act

 

Energy Law
Petroleum Act
Petroleum (Quality Control) Act
Petroleum Refining Industry Encouragement) Act
Petroleum and Oil Fuel (landing and Storage) Act
The Electric Lighting Act
The Electricity (Frequency Conversion) Act

 

Construction Law
Parish Councils Building Act
The Building Societies Act
The Housing Act
The Kingston and St. Andrew Building Act
Town and Country Planning Act

 

Agriculture Law
Agricultural Produce Act
Animals (Diseases and Importation) Act
Banana Board Act
Irrigation Act
Land Development and Utilization Act
Meat and meat products and meat by-products (inspection and export) Act
Pesticides Act
Plants (Quarantine) Act
Rice Industry Board Act
Rural Agricultural Development Authority Act
Sugar Industry Control Act
The Agricultural Credit Board Act
The Agricultural Loans Act
The Agricultural Marketing Act
The Co-operative Societies Act
The Cocoa Industry Board Act
The Coffee Industry Regulation Act
The Fertilizers and Feeding Stuffs Act
The Jamaica Agricultural Society Incorporation Act
The Land Development and Utilization Act
Veterinary Act

 

Arbitration Law
The Arbitration Act

 

 

Reference

Legislation Jamaica (Lexadin). (n.d.). Lexadin. https://www.lexadin.nl/wlg/legis/nofr/oeur/lxwejam.htm

(2021, July 27). Jamaica Information Service – The Voice of Jamaica. https://jis.gov.jm/

Difference and comparisons between law and act with their examples. (2020, July 6). BYJUS. https://byjus.com/free-ias-prep/differences-between-act-and-law/