Independent UK: Harry's heading to Jamaica, but grandma is not welcome

[marmar]

Harry's heading to Jamaica, but grandma is not welcome
Caribbean island's Prime Minister says time has come to remove the Queen as head of State

Tom Peck
Saturday 07 January 2012


A visit by Prince Harry to Jamaica this summer has suddenly become political, after the country's new Prime Minister, Portia Simpson Miller, used her swearing in speech to announce her intention to remove the Queen as head of state and make the Caribbean island country a republic.

"I love the Queen; she is a beautiful lady," said Simpson Miller, as she became Jamaican Prime Minister for the second time. "But I think the time has come."

A Jamaican government spokesman confirmed that it would begin the process of "removing all ties with the British monarchy, thereby becoming a truly independent nation".

......(snip)......

Ms Simpson Miller also vowed to replace arguably an even more curious anachronism in her country's governance – that of the Privy Council in London serving as Jamaica's highest court of appeal, a system she described as "judicial surveillance from London". .................(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/harrys-heading-to-jamaica-but-grandma-is-not-welcome-6286315.html

[dipsydoodle]

1. Not sure if a change in their constitution

is quite that simple. Its up to the people to decide.

[marmar]

2. I get the feeling the people will overwhelmingly support it.

[dipsydoodle]

3. Issue has been hanging around for years

In response, a Buckingham Palace spokesman said "the issue of the Jamaican head of state was entirely a matter for the Jamaican government and people".

>

Ms Simpson Miller is not the first Jamaican leader to promise to move towards a republic.

In the early 1990s, then-Prime Minister PJ Patterson also said it was time for the island to have its own head of state, and set 2007 as the deadline.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-16449969

If the people will overwhelmingly support it then I'm surprised it hasn't already happened.

[Dawson Leery]

4. It's about time.