Jamaica has a bicameral parliamentary system consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Legislative Branch Of The Government Of Jamaica After the parliamentary elections, the leader of the majority party in the House of the Representatives (lower house) is appointed by the governor general as the prime minister. The cabinet is appointed by the Governor-General on the basis of the Prime Minister's advice. The head of the government is the Prime Minister, and the incumbent is Andrew Holmes who took office on March 3, 2016. The Monarch appoints the Governor General once recommended by the Prime Minister. The Governor is not expected to have any affiliation to a political party in Jamaica, and most of the legislative powers of the Governor-General are to pardon convicted criminals facing the death sentence. The governor is appointed on recommendations from the Jamaican Prime Minister. The Chief of State in Jamaica is Queen Elizabeth II ever since 1952, and the governor general represents the monarch. The Executive Branch Of The Government Of Jamaica The Jamaican system of laws is derived from English law. The latest amendment to the Constitution was made in 2015. It gained its independence in 1962 from the UK and had a constitution that has been amended several times since it was first drafted in 1962. Jamaica has a parliamentary democracy system under a constitutional monarchy.