Parliamentary joint select committee reviews Child Diversion Act on July 8

A Joint Select Committee on the Child Diversion Act was before Parliament on July 8, 2026, as lawmakers continued their examination of the proposed legislation.

Joint select committees are formed when draft policies, bills, or other matters of serious national importance need closer review than general sittings allow. Their membership draws from both the House of Representatives and the Senate, spanning government and opposition sides.

These committees are set up to probe legislation in detail and to widen consultation beyond the chamber. They are empowered to invite members of the public to share views, concerns, and recommendations, whether in writing or in person. Notices are often placed through radio, television, and newspaper advertisements to reach citizens who may be affected by a proposed law.

In the standard path for a bill, a minister may recommend a joint select committee before the measure moves to the committee stage in the lower house. After taking evidence and reviewing the draft, the committee submits its recommendations to the House of Representatives. MPs then debate that report and vote on whether the bill should proceed.

The Child Diversion Act sits within that framework. Joint select committee scrutiny gives Parliament a structured way to test whether proposed changes would serve Jamaicans well, while opening the process to direct public participation before final legislative decisions are taken.