Mixed reactions to proposed removal of the Queen of England

Martin Baxter, Gleaner writer

JAMAICANS HAVE expressed mixed opinions on the planned removal of the Queen of England as the Jamaican Head of State.

On a journey downtown Kingston, The Gleaner recorded opposing sentiments from both young and old, over plans by newly elected Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller to initiate the process of Jamaica's detachment from the British Monarchy.

"At this time, I don't feel that Jamaica is in a position to be totally independent from the British community," said Julian Williams, 25, of St Catherine.

"The state of the economy and especially England has been instrumental in helping the crime and so forth, so to insinuate that we should be completely independent of them might cause more harm than good."

Seventy-two-year-old James Hamilton, of Havendale, St Andrew, held a different opinion.

"Our jubilee is indeed the right time; it was on the books many years ago, it was on the books recently before Mrs Miller had anything to say about that, so what she's saying is just echoing what the people want and what the people think," he told The Gleaner.

"I don't see any problem in it; we should have done it 10 to 15 years ago."

Weeks before Prince Harry, the Queen's fourth grandchild, is due to represent her on an official visit to Jamaica to celebrate her Diamond Jubilee in March, the issue caught the gaze of the international media, even warranting Buckingham Palace, the official London-based residence of Queen Elizabeth II to release an official statement on the matter.

"The issue of the Jamaican head of State was entirely a matter for the Jamaican Government and people," the BBC reported the Buckingham Palace spokesman as saying, shortly after Prime Minister Simpson Miller's intentions were made.

Not yet capable

An image of Her Majesty the Queen's crown sits atop the insignia of the Jamaica Defence Force (JDF), and one of its members, who The Gleaner encountered sporting the emblem on his felt beret, said Jamaica was not yet capable of existing without the support of the British Monarch.

"I really don't think that we can afford to separate ourselves from the British right now because although we are independent, we are not that much independent because we still depend on foreign countries to assist us in many things," he told The Gleaner.

"To distance ourselves from the Queen simply means that we're going to be on our own, and I don't think we're independent enough or capable enough to manage that role right now, so the bottom line is I don't think we can afford to."

See our video vox pop online at www.jamaica-gleaner.com/videos