Aloha! 🙂 Welcome or welcome back to the Rooting For Growth blog! Fancy having you here as I recap week three of my legal internship at the Office of the Parliamentary Counsel, which falls under the Ministry of Legal and Constitutional Affairs (established in 2022). What a unique week I had, this week certainly kept me on my toes. I went from my little cubicle in the office – to the new Ministry of Legal and Constitutional Affairs – to the Chambers in the House of Parliament all in one week. And guess what? I have a new found love for ginger tea! See why when you get to Thursday.
Let’s keep this short and crisp, shall we? Here’s the recap:
Week 3: Monday Marathon
Man oh man, Monday was long! I thought maybe I was missing the thrill of the shimmering sea, the summer rave and even those noonday cat naps that I had long imagined before I became fully conscious that I wouldn’t have much of a vacation this Summer.
I stared at the Jamaica Teaching Council Bill before me, as I paused from combing it through in preparation for Thursday. Like we all do – at some point or another in the work day, I reached for my phone, seeking out a little escape from the Monday blues I was having.
Then I came across an article that suggested that climate change (melting of ice caps) is causing our days to lengthen as the earth rotates a little slower on its axis. Not a noticeable reduction, more like milli-seconds that high end satellites and technology can record. How timely and coincidental I thought. Well, now I had the perfect excuse that it wasn’t just me – it was Mother Earth too!
Anyway, I got through the Bill and went to have a talk with the Chief Parliamentary Counsel. We spoke briefly about my experience thus far in the Office and the assignments I have been working on. We even personalized the conversation a bit by asking and hearing each other answer how they got into “Legislative Drafting” in my case – the like for it.
That went well – so well I got a reward – another assignment! Yep, the reward for work is more work! 🙂 Only this time, it was premiere work. Can you imagine, I get to literally have a say pencil (drafters joke)in the amendment of the Constitution of Jamaica! Wow, the parent law of the land. The Law of Laws. Okay, let me not get ahead of myself – nor inflate the basic task of proofreading the draft Bill. 🙂 Yep that was it. Oh, and to do an implementation table (basically, checking the draft instructions and recording the sections of the bill that carry out those instructions.) That was the next task and I was excited.
Jamaica is currently under the British monarch albeit an independent nation. The monarch is sovereign and head of state of Jamaica. There have been calls and clamour for Jamaica to be rid of our British ties and to become a republic. That is where the Ministry of Legal and Constitutional Affairs and closer to home…the Office of the Parliamentary Counsel comes in. To lead the technical legislative framework that will usher in this grand ambition.
So there you have it – Monday in all its lengthy glory and my two Bills (assignments) – The Jamaica Teaching Counsel Bill and the Constitutional (Amendment) Bill (which seeks to amend deeply entrenched provisions of the Constitution).
Related Post: Super Simple Ways to Love Mondays
Week 3: Tuesday Tutoring
My supervising attorney who is one of the Deputy Parliamentary Counsels called me in for some learning insights. She had promised to teach me about subsidiary legislations and the process that obtains for them to be passed.
Subsidiary Legislations: These are legal proclamations, orders, regulations, rules, notices or other instruments that have a legislative effect. Usually, Ministers for varying ministries have the responsibility and authority to create subsidiary legislation. Take for example, there is an Education Act 1965 and there is also the accompanying Education Regulation 1980 (which is the subsidiary legislation) and basically supplements the main Act.
She shared a closed file/case/matter that she worked on sometime ago, and showed me the different stages the subsidiary legislation would have gone through before it was passed. It was indeed a privilege, being permitted to go through and learn from those files.
Week 3: Wednesday – Staff Meeting – Out of Office
As I’ve mentioned before, The current office space for the Office of the Parliamentary Counsel is at the Ministry of Justice. Afterall, it was under that Ministry until the formation of the Ministry of Legal and Constitutional Affairs (2022).
While there are plans in place to align the Office with it’s new Ministry in terms of physical space – that has not yet been actualized. As such, the team members had to travel from the Ministry of Justice to the Ministry of Legal and Constitutional Affairs for the Staff Meeting on Wednesday.
The good thing, is that a bus was provided for team members who would have otherwise been inconvenienced.
I was happy to have been permitted to participate and I soon realized, there were other interns in various capacities present too. This I learnt, through the introductions which we all had to do.
While I think its best to preserve the confidence of what transpired at the meeting, there are a few highlights of the Ministry of Legal and Constitutional Affairs that I will share here, considering these are matters of national interest:
- The Ministry of Legal and constitutional Affairs has managed to aid in the passing of 14 Bills in the last financial/legislative year.
- The Legal Education Division has reached and interact with over two thousand seven hundred (2700) public servants regarding matters of Constitutional Amendments, through Town Halls and the like.
- The New Bail Act was a success
- Continued support to Departments on legal opinions
- Established legislative teams in all Ministries
That’s a few of the highlights shared by the Permanent Secretary. Another aspect of the meeting that I am pleased to share – is the motivational speech/message which was conducted by a minister of religion from The Grace Worship Ministries. He read lessons from 2nd Kings Chapter 7 and 2nd Peter Chapter 3 vs 9. The message really centered on the fact that God always keeps His promises.
“People with good intentions make promises. People with good character keep them.”
2nd Peter 3:9: The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead, he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.
These were timely messages and what stuck with me the most was this :
“God’s power is greater than your limited resources.”
All the agenda items were exhausted and the meeting culminated with refreshments (fruits and pastries and juices) as well as some meet and greet. Following that, everyone went back to their various work stations/offices and continued with their day.
Week 3: Thursday – Ginger Tea in Parliament
Listen to me 🙂 when the tea list was being passed around (discreetly) I wondered what it was about. Until it got to me and I realized members present wrote their names in the column for names and then ticked what the beverage of their preference. At first I though – I should get some orange juice. You know, fancy way to start the morning in “parliament”. I sat upright. Feeling the part. But then it hit me – I travelled from country this morning and didn’t even drink a cup of tea. Suppose me pitch dung a “parliament”!? 🙂 I shuffled in my chair. It squeaked. I was suddenly more grateful for my plastic chair at home. That one doesn’t squeak.
Anyway, I ticked ginger tea. In about 3 minutes, I was served. I blinked about 15 times. I mean, I know I said ginger tea right – but good lord man – there were some chops of ginger in the cup! What happened to instant ginger tea or even the tea bag? 🙂 I looked at the cup from a distance as it sat distinguishably in its saucer. Then I motioned forward. Delicately with all the etiquette I have, I took a sip, willing the ginger chops to stay in the cup as I consumed. Swallowed. Placed the cup and saucer down. It was the best ginger tea ever! I mean, those chops of ginger behaved themselves. Nothing attempted to choke me. Throughout the session, that cup and I became good friends – always in contact. I sipped the last bit and the cup and saucer were cleared. I was satisfied- Until I realized should have had some tough crackers to go with that good ole ginger tea! 🙂
🙂 Seemed I got a little carried a way there! Shows how much that tea meant to me! Anyway, this wasn’t my first time in parliament – only this time, I was ‘front and center’, I wasn’t sitting in the galleries as visitors do – I was in chamber. Live and direct. 🙂 Thanks to my supervising attorney who skillfully yet so playfully justified my being right there – in the front row beside her and her colleague. Legislative Drafting is an area of law that fascinates me – that and ginger tea.
This invitation to parliament was to observe the Joint Select Committee on the matter of the Jamaica Teaching Council Bill. I saw their debates about various provisions. Their whys and why nots and ultimately got a first hand view of how the Drafters act on the instructions/directions given. Not for a second did I feel out of place. My supervising attorney had made sure I had a copy of the Bill – which I mentioned earlier. She even equipped me with other resources that I was able to utilize line by line – page by page from start to end.
It was a good opportunity. And I felt proud and warm. Proud that despite the hurdles, I’m still making good of the moments I have now. Warm from – the ginger tea!
Week 3: Friday
Friday came and I was happy to have completed my 3rd week. My colleagues in office could hardly believe its 3 weeks already!
Today, I worked a bit harder on the assignment from the Chief Parliamentary Council. With preparations for parliament out the way, I paused from the Jamaica Teaching Council Bill and focused on the Constitution (Amendment) Bill (which seeks to amend deeply entrenched provisions in the Constitution). The latter saw me completing the proofreading exercise and starting the implementation table -which seemed challenging at first. Catch the week 4 updates to see how that goes.
I recall noting in week 1 of my legal internship that the internship is a paid one. I thought it best to mention that, since current and upcoming students of law might come across this article and have queries which include matters on stipend/compensation. So many interns expend resources to fulfil program requirements and are not compensated nor even given a stipend. This is oftentimes justified in the sense that the experience is worthwhile or either way, the intern needs to secure the hours.
Not here. 🙂 Pay day came a week later due to onboarding matters, but hey – at least now I know if it was any earlier, ginger would have been left off my shopping list. Now, ginger please. 🙂
3 weeks down. 7 more to go! See you in the next one. Stick around and keep Rooting for Growth.
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