Time for Jamaica to ‘move on’

THE EDITOR, Madam:

Upon the death of Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Charles immediately became the King of the United Kingdom and its realms and, consequently, Jamaica’s king, since we are a constitutional monarchy under British rule. The Gleaner’s Instagram post which highlighted this fact irked many people, but their vitriol should be directed towards our Government which has been slow in making the legislative changes for us to become a republic and which still clings to colonial vestiges.

Take for example the prime minister’s acceptance of the appointment to Her Majesty’s Privy Council in 2021. Perhaps he saw this as a great honour, but it signals to the public a reluctance to rid himself of these colonial ties. While former Prime Minister P.J. Patterson has resigned from this body in recognition and support of the will of the people to have a Jamaican as the head of state, the current prime minister has not.

Then there’s the matter for Jamaica’s final court. The Minister of Justice Delroy Chuck has rejected the idea of having the regionally based Caribbean Court of Justice as Jamaica’s final court. Instead, he prefers for Jamaicans, who can obtain a visa, to continue to make the costly trek to England to have their cases decided by British justices who are largely ignorant of our culture and local realities.

Mr Holiness has declared that Jamaica is “moving on” from the British monarchy but, at this point, the head of state is King Charles III. Hopefully, the Government will treat with urgency the matter of forming a republic but, until then, God save the King!

MARIA MUTIDJO

Teacher