PM urges speed in Jamaica's republic efforts following reform committee hiccup

Just days after Legal and Constitutional Affairs Minister Marlene Malahoo Forte suggested the Opposition was hampering the naming of members of the Constitutional Reform Committee, Prime Minister Andrew Holness has instructed her to move with speed towards transforming Jamaica into a Republic.

While speaking at a function in Montego Bay, St James, Saturday night, Holness acknowledged that the process was not a straightforward one and that he never expected it to be a straight line. 

“It is time that Jamaica becomes a republic. For us, the process is not simple, and we have known this from we started on this journey, and we are making sure that we check every box as we move deliberately in that regard,” Holness said.

"So I'm saying to you minister (Malahoo Forte), please move ahead with speed and alacrity on this matter. Jamaica must become a Republic," he continued. 

Holness' instructions follow a delay in the naming of the Constitutional Reform Committee, which is expected to review Jamaica's laws and make recommendations regarding the cutting of ties with the British Monarchy and establishment of Jamaica as a republic.

The Government has blamed the Mark Golding-led parliamentary Opposition for holding up the process by not naming members to serve on the committee.

Opposition Leader Mark Golding has, in turn, blamed Malahoo Forte's failure to answer questions regarding the committee's scope of work, and whether the issue of adoption of the Caribbean Court of Justice as Jamaica's final court will be a priority area, as reasons for his hesitation in providing the names.

However, Holness has suggested Golding is engaging in political manoeuvring.

“But whatever political footworks that those who call for it and now don't want it and now are trying to obfuscate and confuse, whatever footworks they may choose to engage in, we are walking a straight line to the objective,” the prime minister insisted.

- Albert Ferguson

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