News

ECJ says its Office of Political Ombudsman has been operational since Feb 2024

Loop News

May 4, 2025 10:28 AM ET

6 mins read

---

Jamaica

The Electoral Commission of Jamaica (ECJ), in a release on Saturday, said the Office of Political Ombudsman, which is within its remit, has been operational since February 2024. This is amid wide-scale concerns over recent times about the seeming absence of the functionary since the political ombudsman was subsumed in the ECJ early last year.

The ECJ said being the body responsible for discharging the functions of the political ombudsman, pursuant to The Political Ombudsman (Interim) (Amendment) Act, 2024, it has established a framework “to effectively manage its legal responsibility as the political ombudsman. This responsibility includes holding the political parties accountable to the political code of conduct to which they have subscribed.”

The ECJ said it has sought to streamline and improve the operations of the Office of Political Ombudsman through the implementation of a dedicated unit within the Office of the ECJ. It added that the unit is tasked with the responsibility for coordinating the activities of the Office of Political Ombudsman, including implementing mechanisms for accepting, processing and responding to complaints from the public.

The unit is said to be headed by a senior officer, the ECJ’s Registrar of Political Parties. That person “will be” the chief liaison between the public and the ECJ’s members who, together, constitute the Political Ombudsman, the ECJ stated in the release.

Members of the public are invited to submit complaints of breaches of the political code of conduct in writing to the political ombudsman. These submissions may be:

•             Submitted through the online complaints portal on the ECJ’s website at www.ecj.com.jm;

•             Mailed electronically to ecjombudsman@eoj.com.jm; or

•             Mailed or delivered to the Office of the Political Ombudsman at 46 Duke Street, Kingston.

Members of the public who require more information may contact the Office of the Political Ombudsman by telephoning (876) 754-5845.

The ECJ said since the commencement of the current electoral campaign period, two complaints have been received by the office, “one in relation to the placement of signs in Montego Bay(, St James), and the other about the removal of paraphernalia in South Eastern St Elizabeth.”

The ECJ said the reports are being addressed by the political ombudsman.

The commission said since assuming the role of political ombudsman in February 2024, it has undertaken the functions of the new role using resources that have been allocated for the administration of the ECJ’s operations, and “No additional funding has been provided for carrying out the activities related to the political ombudsman.”

 The ECJ said it has since:

1.            Established the dedicated administrative unit within the Office of the Political Ombudsman;

2.            Commenced a review of the existing Political Code of Conduct;

3.            Implemented mechanisms for accepting reports on breaches of the Political Code of Conduct, including:

a.            An online portal to accept reports including photographs, audio and video recording via the ECJ’s website; and

b.            A dedicated e-mail address and telephone line, as well as a toll-free and a WhatsApp number through the Electoral Office of Jamaica (EOJ) to get information;

4.            Received and addressed reports and complaints from the public;

5.            Written to the general secretaries of the (existing) political parties regarding the removal of flags and paraphernalia following the Local Government Elections (of February 2024);

6.            Prepared for future implementation a public education programme on the role of the Political Ombudsman and the importance of citizen participation; and

7.            Established a network of law enforcement officers across the island to assist in the execution of the law.

The ECJ said it recognizes the critical import of the Political Ombudsman Act, as political conduct does impact the democratic process. It said it will carry out its tasks in this regard as long as Parliament requires it to do so.