THE Rastafari Mansions and Organizations (RMO) has rejected claims by Culture Minister Olivia Grange that Rastafari rights are already protected under Jamaica’s Constitution, arguing that no comprehensive legal framework exists to shield the community from systemic discrimination.

The group also raised concerns about the treatment of Rastafari communities in the aftermath of Hurricane Melissa, pointing to what it described as a lack of targeted government support and culturally appropriate relief.

Grange’s comments came on April 3, amid a regional debate triggered by St Kitts and Nevis’ announcement that it had enacted formal legislation recognising Rastafari, including provisions addressing identity, sacramental use of ganja and economic concessions. In response, the minister maintained that Jamaica had long provided protections through its Charter of Fundamental Rights and Freedoms and other legislative measures.

But in a detailed statement issued last Tuesday, the RMO dismissed that position, saying the Government’s interpretation overstates the level of legal protection currently afforded to Rastafari in Jamaica.

“RMO refutes Minister Grange’s recent statement in the media that Rastafari recognition and rights have already been provided for in the Government of Jamaica’s (GOJ) constitutional and legislative framework…The claim of Jamaica’s regional leadership in legislative protection of Rastafari rights is false,” it said.

The organisation, which represents a broad coalition of Rastafari mansions and groups, argued that while Jamaica’s Constitution guarantees freedom of religion, it does not explicitly recognise Rastafari as a distinct faith or indigenous cultural group. That omission, it said, leaves rights unevenly applied and dependent on interpretation rather than clear legal obligation.

“True recognition and protection requires specific definition and entrenchment within the Jamaican constitution, along with provisions that will ensure a multi-dimensional legal status which can be filtered into various branches of government, with enforceable accountability. This has not yet happened,” the RMO added.

Expanding on its concerns about disaster response, the organisation said relief efforts following Hurricane Melissa have failed to reach many in the Rastafari community or account for their cultural practices.

“Following Hurricane Melissa, there has been no targeted Government assessment or support for the Rastafari community or the RMO-led Relief, Rebuild and Rise (RRR) initiative. Mainstream relief efforts are not reaching and do not benefit the community as they fail to align with Rastafari dietary, cultural and health practices,” the group said.

They added that its assessment of 103 households found 22 per cent of elderly persons were left homeless and 37 per cent reported illness or injury, while several community centres were badly damaged and remain in need of rebuilding.

The organisation also pointed to legislative developments elsewhere in the region, commending St Kitts and Nevis for its Rastafari Rights Recognition Act and Antigua and Barbuda for sacramental protections under its cannabis laws, which it said offer more explicit legal recognition than Jamaica’s current framework.

While acknowledging that Jamaica has taken steps — particularly the 2015 amendment to the Dangerous Drugs Act, which decriminalised small amounts of ganja and allows for sacramental use — the RMO argued that those provisions remain limited and inconsistently enforced on the ground.

“The blatant violation of Rastafari sacramental rights remains standard in practice, wherein members are arrested, charged, and endure prolonged legal exposure before rights are discretionarily upheld,” it said.

The organisation cited several recent cases to illustrate ongoing breaches, including a 2025 police operation in Negril where 76 pounds of ganja were seized and charges later dismissed; a St Elizabeth case in which 295 pounds were taken from a Rastafari site with some never returned despite a court order; and the destruction of more than 900 cannabis plants in St Thomas between 2021 and 2026 before the case collapsed.

Beyond policing, the RMO painted a broader picture of systemic discrimination affecting Rastafari across multiple sectors of Jamaican society, including education, employment and healthcare.

The RMO said it has sought formal engagement with the Government on these issues, including a December 2024 request for discussions on developing a Rastafari Act and a February 2025 submission advocating for constitutional recognition, but has received no response to either.

Framing its appeal within a symbolic milestone, the organisation noted that April 21 marks 60 years since the visit of Haile Selassie I to Jamaica, widely regarded as a turning point in public acceptance of the faith.

“The RMO calls on the Government of Jamaica to legitimise its claim of leadership commitment to justice for Rastafari by collaborating with the community to establish formal recognition and develop the first comprehensive Rastafari Act to finally secure broad-based rights and justice for the world’s original Rastafari community,” it said.