Jamaica’s former ECJ Chair Dorothy Pine-McLarty has died

Dorothy Pine-McLarty, the pioneering attorney and former chair of the Electoral Commission of Jamaica (ECJ), has died. The cause of death was not immediately known.

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Prime Minister Andrew Holness confirmed her passing on Sunday, offering an emotional tribute and highlighting her decades of service to the country. In his statement, Holness said he was mourning “the passing of the Hon. Dorothy Pine-McLarty, OJ,” noting that she “dedicated her life to strengthening our democracy, upholding integrity, and serving the Jamaican people with courage and grace.”

Holness also praised her trailblazing legal career, describing her as “a truly exceptional attorney.” He recalled that in 1973, Pine-McLarty became the first woman partner at Myers, Fletcher & Gordon and was later appointed the first managing partner of the firm’s London office. She remained, he said, “a public servant in the truest sense,” further noting her contributions as a director on several corporate boards.

Pine-McLarty, widely regarded as one of Jamaica’s leading property attorneys, built a reputation for excellence over decades of practice, amassing a loyal clientele and shattering barriers within the legal profession before her retirement.

Her public service legacy is most deeply felt in electoral governance. Pine-McLarty joined the then Electoral Advisory Committee (EAC) in December 2000 and went on to become the first woman to chair the ECJ in 2013. She served until her retirement on December 31, 2019.

Under her stewardship, the EAC/ECJ presided over four parliamentary elections, four local government elections, several by-elections, and the national residence reverification project. Pine-McLarty also played a critical role in key reforms, including the implementation of the Electronic Voter Identification System at selected polling stations and the establishment of modern frameworks for political party registration and election campaign financing.

Her national service was recognised in 2017 when she was awarded the Order of Jamaica, the country’s fourth-highest honour.

Holness extended condolences to her family, friends, colleagues and all Jamaicans whose lives were touched by her contributions. “Mrs Pine-McLarty also served as a director of several corporate boards,” he said, adding: “I extend deepest condolences to her family, friends, colleagues, and all Jamaicans whose lives were touched by her service. May her soul rest in peace.”