The Jamaican Senate has passed a Charities Act which will lead to the establishment of a Charity Commission-style authority.

The Act was passed by the country’s upper house last week, without making any amendments to the document which had been passed by the House of Representative in October.

It will lead to the appointment of a registrar to be responsible for regulating charities, and to the establishment of a register of charities. It applies to charities operating or intending to operate in the island.

Earlier this year the country passed the Charitable Organisations (Tax Harmonisation) (Micellaneous Provisions) Act which provided a general definition of “approved charitable organisations” and “charitable purposes”.