Jamaica to break links with Queen

[the_gabih]

Jamaica's new Prime Minister, Portia Simpson Miller, has said she intends to make the island a republic, removing Queen Elizabeth as the head of state.

In her inaugural address, Ms Simpson Miller said the time had come for Jamaica to break with the British monarchy and have its own president.

The announcement comes ahead of celebrations to mark 50

Comments

[rufinia]

I'm really curious what the process for this is. A referendum vote? File some paperwork with Marlborough House? The statement that it's a "matter for the Jamaican Government and people" makes it sound like a vote is needed.

[burntspaghetti]

When Australia tried (and failed) to become a republic, we had a referendum. I'm pretty ignorant on how the rest of the process would have worked if it had passed. Personally I am for a republic but the model proposed in the referendum wasn't ideal (imo anyway, I wasn't of voting age when it happened).

[mingemonster]

two ways, but i'm not sure which one would apply. the most important parts of the jamaican constitution require the second option, and my guess would be that the head of state is considered among the most important

[atomic_joe2]

I expect more to do something similar to Jamaica after the current Queen eventually leaves the throne. In fact I have my doubts as to whether the monarchy can survive at all long term after that, due to the influence she has had.

[kakorrhaphio]

I hope Canada gets rid of our ties with the Queen.

[youkiddinright]

MTE.

[magus_69]

I've heard that the Liberals are going to hold (or did they hold it already?) a referendum on that, though if it passes it isn't binding on future party leadership.

[lai_choi_san]

Jamaica is not a fiscal haven. I would be curious to know how the British monarchy would react if the same decision was made by the Bahamas government (btw : half of the fiscal havens belong to the Commonwealth).

[red_pill]

the monarchy dosent make money from being head of state of all these places, im pritty sure.

[lai_choi_san]

No, but the City does and given neither the Queen nor the Parliament can decide anything without the City's approval...

[red_pill]

parlement? mabby. proberbly, given the current goverment

the queen? no. at least, not in the fasion your surgesting. she takes the adivce of her minsters blah blah blah but she takes the advice of ALL her minsters, technicly. including the jamcian minsters. and the minsters of the bahamas. and just becous a country no longer has the queen as head of state, it dosent leave the commonwealth.

AND whilst city might dicate the uk goverment policy towards taxhavens, to the detriment of others, im not enterly sure that removing the queen as head of state would require any matiral change to the sitution in terms of laws.

i think if any goverment, up to and including the british goverment, made loud overtures or moves towards removing the queen as head of state, her offical reaction would be the same.

[staringiscaring]

Huh. Um, good for them.