Politics
Prince Harry turns on the charm, but Jamaica on track to becoming republic
Prince Harry is welcomed by Jamaica’s Prime Minister Portia Simpson-Miller. PHOTO/AP/Collin Reid
Jamaica’s Prime Minister, Portia Simpson-Miller, says it’s time for the Caribbean island to ditch the monarchy.
”It’s time for us to achieve full independence,” she told BBC television before a lunch with Prince Harry on Tuesday.
The prince, third-in-line to the British and Jamaican thrones, is touring Caribbean realms to mark the Queen’s diamond jubilee year.
Jamaica achieved its independence from Britain in 1962 but retained the monarchy, meaning Queen Elizabeth is the island’s head of state and Queen of Jamaica in her own right.
”We came on a long journey from slavery to adult suffrage to our independence and we are now a nation, I believe,” Mrs Simpson-Miller said.
”Our maturity is now saying that we should look to a form of government that would, at this time, take full charge of our destiny. I admire the Queen. I am fond of her, she’s a wonderful lady – a beautiful lady. But in terms of our history, we have some things to do. It’s no disrespect at all to the Queen.”
Mrs Simpson-Miller took office in January pledging to begin the process of becoming a republic.
She said there were other Commonwealth states in the Caribbean which had become republics, ”so I do not believe it should be taken in the context of us wanting to get rid of the Queen”.
