High Commissioner to the United Kingdom Aloun Ndombet-Assamba has sought to assure UK-based Jamaicans that plans by the Government to remove the Queen as head of state will not impact the country economically or affect its relationship with the Commonwealth.

Mrs Ndombet Assamba was addressing the third biennial conference of the Jamaican Diaspora in the UK held yesterday in Hammersmith, London.

She says there is a growing recognition that the Constitution needs to be amended to cater to the realities of modern Jamaica.

Mrs Ndombet- Assamba says Jamaica can only complete the circle of true independence if it becomes a republic with a local head of state that is representative of the people of Jamaica and their vision.

She says the process toward becoming a republic will commence this year, but points out that the process will take time as the “provisions relating to the Queen as Jamaica’s head of state is deeply entrenched in the Constitution.

The Jamaican UK-based diplomat, who is also an attorney-at-law, says an amendment of the provision will require an agreement of the two major political parties and would involve a delayed period, as well as, a simple majority of the electorate through a referendum.

She says there will also be several months of public consultations and education.