Calls have increased for the government to put a hold on plans to pass the controversial Non-Profit Organisation (NPO) Act given widespread objections from the Christian community.
Among those urging the government to have more consultations on the Act is the Association of Christian Communicators and Media (ACCM), which describes the impending legislation as a “Nicodemus-like” operation. The Act is aimed at aligning Jamaica with standards set by the international Financial Action Task Force (FATF) to curtail money laundering, financial terrorism and the illegal weapons trade. FATF defines non-profit organisations as “organisations that engage primarily in raising or disbursing funds for purposes”, including religion, among others.
“According to highly placed sources, the government is intent on passing the NPO Act through both houses of Parliament before the end of the current month, despite promises by technocrats that more time would be available for consultations with all affected parties. The government’s accelerated timeline to pass the NPO Act coincides with an expected visit to the island by a FATF team later this month,” disclosed the ACCM, which is comprised of Christian media and communications practitioners in Jamaica, the Caribbean and the Diaspora.
The Association is requesting “a full hearing of objections, which is a requisite part of the democratic process”.
The Freedom to Come Rain newspaper has been sharing some of the objections to the Act since church leaders started speaking out last year. Registrar of the Department of Cooperatives and Friendly Societies (DCFS), Errol Gallimore, reiterated during a meeting with churches on Wednesday, October 7, that the NPO definition will become the law.
The ACCM asserted that the church’s primary mission is not to raise or disburse funds.
“If passed into law in its present form, the NPO Act will place undue burden on churches to administer tithes and offerings which are part of the Christian worship sacrament,” the Association said.
The meeting held with churches last week on Wednesday has left some participants with more questions than answers. The meeting was held at the Open Bible Church on Washington Boulevard in Kingston and simultaneously online via Zoom. The meeting got off to a rocky start, as from the beginning, participants online complained of poor audio quality.
The problem became particularly noticeable during the presentation by Gallimore in his capacity as the Registrar of the DCFS.
Gallimore’s microphone sounded muffled, while his failure to consistently speak directly into the microphone made it difficult for some online participants to follow his presentation.
The technical difficulties continued for much of the session.
Within the first hour, several participants left the Zoom meeting, expressing frustration that it was not worthwhile remaining online if they could not properly hear the proceedings.
Frustration increased during the question-and-answer segment immediately following Gallimore’s presentation.
Participants online complained that their questions were not initially being taken, despite questions being taken from in-person attendees.
Questions from online participants were eventually read, but poor audio quality continued to make it difficult for some to hear the responses.
The meeting was intended to sensitise churches and non-profit organisations about the proposed NPO legislation and give stakeholders an opportunity to better understand what could be required of them.
The issue is particularly sensitive for churches, some of which have expressed frustration that they have been left out of the consultation process.
Jamaica already has a legal framework governing charities and non-profit organisations. Under the Charities Act, 2013, charitable organisations can register to obtain charitable status and access certain tax relief and exemptions. The DCFS is designated as the Charities Authority, while the Registrar of Companies serves as the Registrar of Charities.
The existing framework also provides for oversight of organisations operating for charitable purposes and requires organisations seeking charitable status to meet specific conditions, including operating for public benefit and ensuring that their income or assets do not personally benefit members of their governing boards.
The government said it has been strengthening the administration of the charitable sector. As of recently, in September 2026, the Department began moving charity registration and renewal services online through the Jamaica Single Window for Trade platform. The proposed NPO framework would therefore add to an already existing regulatory environment.
But for some participants at the meeting, the immediate concern was not only what the proposed law could mean for their organisations. They also wanted clearer answers and a meeting where they could actually hear said answers.
The presentation by Gallimore has since been made available to the public.