Jamaica has embarked on her road to becoming a republic. This process could see Queen Elizabeth being dropped as the head of state by 2025.
This news was confirmed to parliament by the head of Jamaica’s legal ministry. The process will be completed by the time of the elections.
A new constitution will also be enacted in order to transform the country from a monarchy to a republic.
A number of key votes will be undertaken at both chambers of the Jamaican legislature. A vote by all Jamaicans will then follow.
Earlier this year, the Jamaican Prime Minister, Andrew Holness, had a conversation with the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge on this matter.
The Jamaican Prime Minister told William and Kate that: ‘There are unresolved issues here’.
A poll conducted in 2020 revealed that more than 50% of the Jamaicans would vote to remove the Queen as the head of state if given a choice.
‘I am pleased to advise this honourable House that the work to achieve this goal, while being done in stages, has formally commenced,’ said the Minister for legal affairs to parliament.
She added that a cross-party committee will be set up to look into the matter, especially on the form that the new Constitution should take.
‘The reform work to be done in order to achieve the goal of a new constitution requires cooperation between the government and the parliamentary opposition, as well as the seal of the people.’
Jamaica became independent from Britain in 1962 and now there is a growing wish to replace the Queen as the head of state.
Previously, Barbados transitioned from a monarchy to a republic and effectively replaced the Queen as the head of state.
Other countries that have removed the Queen of England as the head of state include: Tobago, Guyana, Trinidad and Dominica. This happened in the 1970s while Mauritius located on the Indian Ocean declared herself a republic in 1992.
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