Jamaica is one step closer to being a republic. Jamaica’s Minister of Legal and Constitutional Affairs, Marlene Malahoo Forte, introduced a historic bill during a December 10 parliament session. The Jamaica Gleaner reported that the legislation would, if passed, have the country install a Jamaican president and remove the United Kingdom’s King Charles III as the current ceremonial head of state.
The source claims the bill would update and establish other important and relevant criteria related to Jamaica’s constitution, its national symbols, and its citizenship criteria.
According to the Jamaican Observer, the bill will be tabled at the country’s House of Representatives level until March 2025. At that point, debates on the British monarchy’s role in the country (regarding the proposed bill) will reportedly begin.
“The tabling of the bill marks the greatest progress made so far in our effort to reform the Constitution of Jamaica to achieve the national goals of having a Jamaican as head of state instead of the hereditary British monarch, and also having our supreme law taken out from under the cloak of the imperial Order in Council and placed in proper form,” Forte stated December 10.
Jamaica’s Relationship With The U.K. And Its Monarchy
Jamaica gained its independence from British colonial rule in 1962. Before that, the Caribbean island nation was a British colony for over 300 years.
Current Prime Minister Andrew Holness hasn’t shied away from speaking about making the “Republic of Jamaica” a reality. According to PEOPLE, Holness addressed the country’s standing as a constitutional monarchy while speaking with British royals Prince William and Kate Middleton in March 2022. At the time, the royal couple was conducting a tour of the Caribbean.
“We’re very, very happy to have you and we hope you’ve received a warm welcome of the people,” Holness reportedly stated. “There are issues here, which as you know, are unresolved, but your presence gives us an opportunity for those issues to be placed in context, to be out front and center and to be addressed as best we can. But Jamaica is, as you would see, is a country that is proud of its history and very proud of what we have achieved. And we’re moving on, and we intend to… fulfill our true ambitions and destiny to become an independent, developed, and prosperous country.”
