Justice Minister reports slight decline in marriage applications in 2022/2023

Durrant Pate/Contributor

Although same-sex marriage is illegal in Jamaica, the Government of Jamaica (GOJ) has been receiving applications for the same.

Justice Minister, Delroy Chuck, who made the disclosure told the House of Representatives yesterday that his ministry has been receiving a number of such applications. He went on to advise the House that the Justice Ministry has been receiving a higher number of applications for same-sex marriages from individuals from the LGBTQ community. 

Making his contribution to the 2023/2024 Sectoral Debate, Chuck made it clear that the GOJ and his ministry do not accept applications for same-sex marriages.

“Let it be clear we do not support same-sex marriages as yet, or ever. The truth of the matter [is that] people have been coming, asking us for a marriage licence for two same sex. This, at the moment, is not permissible,” the Justice Minister declared. 

He went on to detail a slight decline in the number of marriage applications during the 2022/2023 fiscal year as well as revenue in-take from such transactions.

According to the Justice Minister, “Last year his ministry issued 8313 licences and we provided the Minister of Finance or the Tax Administration Jamaica with $J33.25 million. We are doing well, Madam Speaker, but we don’t mind more marriages so we can provide more money to the Ministry of Finance.”  

In 2021/2022, the ministry received 8,630 applications for marriage application earning revenues for the GOJ of J$35.52 million. Chuck stated, “We enjoy it when people come for their marriage licence because it means that a family will be created, hopefully, or at least husband and wife.”