Executive Director at Jamaica Accountability Meter Portal (JAMP) Jeanette Calder on Thursday took issue with the qualifications and experience outlined in the job descriptions.
She said the minimum qualification is too basic and non-specific for the important roles and responsibilities accorded to MPs and ministers.
Robert Stephens, Co-chair of Advocates Network, is in agreement.
He believes MPs should at least have a high school diploma to be considered for the job. But ideally, he said, ministers should have at least a first degree.
In addition, Mr. Stephens noted that the requirements for ministers and MPs outlined in their job descriptions have came up short in other areas.
"There was no mention of the word honesty or integrity. And in the MP [job description], it did refer to integrity, but it referred to 'integrity to being an MP' kind of thing. It didn't talk about the character of the person and the importance of integrity of the individual," he pointed out.
"I think there's also a reference to development of constituency development plans, which are multi-year. And I think that that's a great idea, but I don't know that many of the constituencies prepare that, except in relation maybe to the money that they control in terms of the CDF [Constituency Development Fund]," he added.
Political commentator Lloyd B. Smith has also suggested that MPs should live in a constituency for some time before being selected to represent the constituents.
"It can't be that people are just being parachuteed into a constituency. It is not best for the democratic process. It's not good for the interaction that would exist between the person who is going to lead and represent the persons without even having sufficient knowledge of the area, knowing the various districts, knowing who is who and what is what," he insisted.
Both men speaking Thursday on Radio Jamaica's Beyond the Headlines.
