Jamaica’s transition: From constitutional monarchy to republic – A historic challenge

Former Prime Minister of Jamaica and Statesman-in-residence, PJ Patterson has expressed concerns regarding the indecision on not having an agreement from both Prime Minister Andrew Holness and Opposition Leader Mark Golding on the changing of the constitutional monarchy to a Jamaican republic.

Patterson was speaking at the Faculty of Law, Lecture Theatre11 at the University of the West Indies recently and asked that both Prime Minister Holness and Leader of the Opposition Golding come together and decide, and if necessary, call on members from both political parties who can help. “It is one Jamaica; we show we are capable of greatness. I am not suggesting that political contest cease, and rivalry and debate discontinue. What I am saying is that there are some issues that are compelling…we are destroying ourselves,” he declared.

In continuing to express the urgency for collaboration on the matter, Patterson, further noted that, “if there is such a personality clash between the two leaders, we cannot afford that to be to the detriment of the national interest of the country, we must find a way if we say we love Jamaica, and I think we do,” Patterson pointed out.

The statesman-in-residence also expressed discomfort with the proposed two-tiered method of appointment of the president of the Jamaican republic. PJ Patterson noted that it cannot be a foreign monarch, “it has to be one of our own that represents what our people stand for and aspire to be, and I think we can find it. We must insist that our leaders meet and continue to dialogue and if they can’t do it, they find people and authorize them to do it on their behalf,” he said.

The former Jamaican prime minister, one of Jamaica’s political legends see this change as a critical issue, “they have to find surrogates and authorized them to do the communication between themselves in accordance with the instructions they are given,” he suggested.

Over a week ago Jamaica’s Prime Minister Holness announced that his government remains optimistic about Jamaica’s transition from constitutional monarchy to becoming a republic. The prime minister noted also that the process for the change has not gone as he had expected, regarding anticipated stakeholders support, because this has not been achieved.

In discussing the issue further the prime minister said, “it has not gone quite as I had expected, we needed to have the support of the Opposition, we still hold out hope that maybe we can actually do this. We will carry it as far as we can, with the hope that we can reach some understanding and consensus. It is truly my wish for Jamaica to become a republic,” Holness said.

Opposition Leader Golding acknowledges firmly that the government should make this change for Jamaica, from constitutional monarchy to a republic, but the change should not be one of only moving away from the British monarchy, but it should coincide with the moving away from the British Court in London to having the Caribbean Court of Justice as Jamaica’s Court of Appeal. This Golding said would achieve a full transition of decolonization, “rather than a piecemeal, phased approach with no guarantee of its attainment. I pointed out that this is a fundamental issue for us,” the opposition leader declared.