Students of the Faculty of Law, University of Technology, Jamaica proudly display their copy of the Constitution of Jamaica presented by The Honourable. Marisa Dalrymple-Philibert, MP (5th right), State Minister in the Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs. Sharing in the moment are Mr. Ivan Godfrey (5th left), Legal Education Officer, Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs, Mrs. Marcia Robinson (4th right), Acting Dean, Faculty of Law and Mr. Dwight Sibblies (3rd right), Programme Director, Faculty of Law.
Students from the Faculty of Law, University of Technology, Jamaica were presented with copies of the Constitution of Jamaica during a ceremony held on February 9, 2026, a gesture described by Mr. Dwight Sibblies, Programme Director, Faculty of Law as both timely and significant in advancing constitutional literacy among future legal practitioners.
The presentation was made by The Honourable Marisa Dalrymple-Philibert, MP, State Minister in the Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs, who brought remarks on behalf of the Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs, The Honourable Delroy Chuck, KC, MP.
Minister Dalrymple-Philibert underscored the importance of UTech, Jamaica producing “work-ready leaders” and emphasized the value of students receiving an updated copy of the nation’s supreme law.
She noted that having the Constitution in hand “ensures that students, practitioners, policymakers, and members of the public are working from one common reference point, grounded in what the law currently provides, rather than relying on outdated versions or fragmented amendments.”
“This clarity,” she continued, “is indispensable to legal analysis, responsible public debate, and it will allow you to participate generally and genuinely in constitutional reform efforts.” The Minister further stressed that “any meaningful conversation about our constitutional future must rest on accurate, accessible, and comprehensive knowledge of the Constitution itself.”
In keeping with long-established democratic tradition, she reminded the students that constitutions define how state authority is structured, limited and exercised, and how citizens relate to the institutions that govern them. Jamaica’s constitutional framework, she observed, was not designed to be “static but evolutionary” in nature as she shared, that it must be “examined, questioned, and refined to remain responsive to the society that it serves.”
Turning her charge directly to the aspiring attorneys, Minister Dalrymple-Philibert encouraged the students to “critically engage and reimagine Jamaica’s constitutional architecture” and to actively influence reforms that modernize the country’s constitutional arrangements so they may better serve current and future generations.
Mrs. Marcia Robinson, Acting Dean of the Faculty of Law, hailed the presentation as a meaningful milestone, “this is an important step in support of our prospective lawyers in promoting the positive outcomes that we at the Faculty are trying to achieve.”
Describing the Constitution as foundational, Mrs. Robinson added, “This is very important in the knowledge of the supreme law of the land.” She encouraged students to make full use of the document, reminding them that “everything in this jurisdiction stands on this legislation, the supreme law of the land.”
Mr. Dwight Sibblies, Programme Director, Faculty of Law who chaired the presentation ceremony echoed those sentiments, describing the Constitution as central to legal education and practice. He shared “this is the substance of their course, Constitutional law, it is the substance of law in general.” He further asserted that every Jamaican should have a copy of the constitution because, “it touches on every aspect of our life,” emphasizing that Jamaicans especially law students are expected to know the constitution in order to successfully participate in the democracy.
The Honourable Marisa Dalrymple-Philibert, MP (left), State Minister in the Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs shares a photo with Acting Dean, Faculty of Law, Mrs. Marcia Robinson while proudly displaying a copy of the Constitution of Jamaica.
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Contact:
Michelle Beckford (Mrs.)
Corporate Communications Manager
University of Technology, Jamaica
Telephone: (876) 970-5299
Email: mbeckford@utech.edu.jm
