The Jamaican government introduced the latest version of the Constitution Bill in Parliament as it made further steps as part of the country’s transitioning to becoming a republic.
The Bill, which proposes to declare the Electoral Commission of Jamaica in the Constitution, is set to incorporate national symbols and emblems, clarify Jamaican citizenship criteria, and strengthen constitutional amendment procedures. This is a growing republican movement across the Caribbean region, following Barbados’ highly publicised transition to a republic in November 2021.
After its introduced in the House, the Bill will go through several “readings”, before being approved by the Houses of Parliament. It was, thus, reported that Minister of Legal and Constitutional Affairs, Marlene Malahoo Forte (pic), said: “This development marks the greatest progress made to replace King Charles with a Jamaican president.”
Having previously declared that Jamaica will transition to a republic by 2025, he went on: “The Bill marks the greatest progress, so far, in our efforts to having a Jamaican as head of state instead of the British monarch. It means that we can have our own supreme law taken out from under the cloak of the imperial Order in Council and placed in proper form.”
It also means that Jamaicans will have the opportunity to decide in a referendum whether they want to remove the British Monarchy. Prime Minister, Andrew Holness, will be looking for the support of the opposition in parliament to move the transition to a republic status forward.
Other Caribbean islands, including Belize, St. Kitts & Nevis, Antigua & Barbuda and The Bahamas, have been looking to may cut ties with the British Monarch as their head of state.
