Chuck pushes for revival of Republic talks 

A senior Government official has made an urgent appeal for a restart of the drawn out constitutional reform process that would remove the British Monarch as Jamaica’s head of state and urged lawmakers on the Opposition side to nudge their leader back to the negotiating table.

The Constitution (Amendment) (Republic) Act 2024, which was tabled in Parliament on December 10, 2024 by then Minister of Legal and Constitutional Affairs Marlene Malahoo Forte, sought to abolish the constitutional monarchy and transition Jamaica to a republic.

Replacing the British Monarch with a ceremonial president as Jamaica’s head of state was among the key recommendations made by a specially appointed Constitutional Reform Committee tasked with leading the process.

However, amid deep divisions between the country’s two main political parties on several critical issues, including what should be Jamaica’s final appellate court, the bill fell off the legislative agenda last September when the five-year term of the previous Parliament came to an end.

It has not been brought back to Parliament.

However, Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs Delroy Chuck suggested yesterday that lawmakers revisit the bill.

“For Jamaica’s sake, let us look at the bill and see how it can be amended, if necessary, and modified so that this Parliament, at the earliest possible time, can debate and remove the Monarch,” said Chuck, who was speaking in Parliament during his contribution to the Sectoral Debate.

He insisted that there was no need to delay this constitutional reform process, before taking a dig at the parliamentary opposition.

“I urge and this Parliament must urge and invite the Opposition Leader to let us restart the constitutional process. Talk to the leader of the Opposition, all of you over there, and let us get on with the job,” the senior Cabinet minister said, pointing to lawmakers on the opposition benches.

Responding to Chuck, Opposition Leader Mark Golding told The Gleaner he was still awaiting the opportunity for a discussion with Prime Minister Dr Andrew Holness “to see what areas of common ground we can identify and if there is a possibility of resolving the major issues where there are differences”.

One of the sticking points between the governing Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) and the main opposition People’s National Party (PNP) is what should be recognised as Jamaica’s final appellate court.

The JLP is in favour of keeping the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council, which is based in the United Kingdom, while the PNP wants it substituted with the Caribbean Court of Justice.

Noting that there were several “possibilities” for the country’s final appellate court, the justice and constitutional affairs minister suggested that Jamaica could emulate Hong Kong where, according to him, the apex court consists of international and Hong Kong-based judges.

 “I don’t mind if the final appellate court in Jamaica is five Caribbean judges sitting, but it must be a Jamaican final court,” Chuck insisted.

livern.barrett@gleanerjm.com