Source: CDM Jamaica
Prime Minister Dr Terrance Drew announced in the National Assembly on 31 March 2026, describing it as a long-overdue step for a community that has always been part of the region’s cultural fabric.
Here’s what the law does:
The Rastafari Rights Recognition Act (passed in June 2023) allows Rastafari groups to officially register with the Ministry of Ecclesiastical and Faith-Based Affairs. Places of worship can now be formally recognised, and members can practise their faith openly without fear of criminalisation.
The legislation was developed through direct consultation with the Rastafari community—not imposed on them.
Application forms are now available, and all registrations under the Act are free of charge.
This process began with a 2019 court ruling (Ras Sankofa Maccabbee v. The Commissioner of Police & The Attorney General), which found that existing laws violated Rastafarians’ constitutional right to freedom of conscience.
Rastafari was born in the Caribbean. It has shaped our music, our language, and our identity. Now, for the first time, a Caribbean government has written that recognition into law.
The question is: who’s next?