An MP’s perspectives on tech – Tamika Davis, Member of the House of Representatives of Jamaica

Tamika Davis is a first-term MP from Jamaica, part of the historic high of 29% of incoming women MPs in the House of Representatives and the first woman to be elected in her constituency. The CIP team spoke with Ms Davis about her views on digital technologies. 

MPs have become digital content creators, as well as legislators

Campaigning for the next election, expected to be in September 2025, is already underway. Ms. Davis spoke of how MPs need to be present on different social media channels, such as Facebook and TikTok, to engage with constituents. Even if they have lots of in-person interactions, MPs also need to be on social media, since “If you are not out there you are not visible”, she said. 

Ms. Davis showed examples of digital content posted by MPs, including videos, highlighting the need for MPs to be creative and to have access to content creation skills. In her own case, she has a two-person team helping her to produce digital content. She feels that with the current mobile apps, there are no excuses for not creating good-looking content.

Disinformation and online abuse take their toll on MPs

Deepfakes, disinformation and online abuse, particularly against women MPs, has entered the digital space of Jamaican politics, Ms. Davis says. She wants more action to deal with online attacks and abuse against women MPs, noting the mental health issues that can arise from this. 

Ms. Davis showed the CIP a very recent video, where an opposition MP is purported to be having a fictional (and ridiculing) telephone call with a member of her party. However, the MP’s voice had been sampled from a recording in another context several years ago. She also highlighted the example of another female MP who suffered a breakdown due to similar attacks and temporarily withdrew from politics. Ms. Davis is glad that this issue is becoming more recognized locally and globally, and called for more action to better protect and resource women MPs.

Information services to help MPs in their work

Ms. Davis would welcome more digital information services from the parliamentary administration, such as parliamentary research. This would help her to get the information that she needs more quickly and efficiently, especially when sitting on committees. Right now, she explained, she has to undertake much of her legislative research herself.

She was surprised to learn that some parliaments provided internal services such as a parliamentary intranet with virtual spaces for online document management and collaboration. She said she would welcome such tools that could assist her work, including when she was not in the parliament building. 

More flexibility for remote working

Ms. Davis sees positives in having more flexible rules that allow MPs to receive parliamentary documents in their preferred format, including electronically and by email. She explained that she and other MPs were engaged in discussions to review the standing orders to allow for more digital-based flexible working, but that there was still some way to go before agreement could be reached.