Readers’ reactions

The Constitutional Reform Committee held its first public consultation on the issue of cutting ties with the British monarchy at Sam Sharpe Square in Montego Bay, St James, on Wednesday. One of the questions asked was, “Will the president be directly elected?”

This president must be some chosen by parliament and others from all civil society! – @damonolith1

I think we should be able to vote for our president. – @woman2womenonelove

Don’t need both a prime minister and a president, abolish the prime minister’s post. – @kashiv_a_tyrell

Why don’t they have Instagram pages set up for this? What are they hiding? – @goddessjasmine20

And again before we move into any change, a communication panel needs to educate the people about the old system and what is being proposed so that people can understand and appreciate what’s happening. I don’t even know where this republic idea came from in the first place. The government needs to do better in educating and communicating to the people. – @beautiful_nats

The old saying that says stick to the evil that you know, for if not you are going to jump out of the frying pot in to the fire. I believe they are playing with fire and drawing us the people along. – @d.j.access

What this country needs is qualified professionals as ministers. This job should be different from members of parliament. – @aneitabeckford

Everybody a compare with America like a dem have the best system of democracy/republic. What is good for America may not be the best for Jamaicans. We have to know what we want for ourselves as a people not copying another country’s system unless it make sense for our people. – @retlawthafuture

I rather unnu sort out a crime plan and stricter penalties for murderers, rapists and anyone found with an illegal firearm (death penalty). Andrew being a king or president is not important right now. – @ashoikie

Getting rid of the prime minister’s post would be a great achievement. – @video_doctor

The problem is that many Jamaican don’t understand the current system of government or its structure much less to understand the one that is proposed. With this said, it is the responsibility of the Government of Jamaica to disseminate and explain the information associated with both and it is then the responsibility of the electorate to learn, understand, and put into action civic responsibility. We are not the US as the minister stated, we cannot have a federalist executive presidency without uprooting the entire system, a process that will take many more years. Rest assured, the system being proposed is one used by many parliamentary republics and is a great one. – @albradbury_86

Readers’ reactions sourced from The Gleaner’s Instagram page. Compiled by Khanique McDaniel.