PJ’s regret

P.J. Patterson, Jamaica’s sixth and longest-serving prime minister, has expressed regret that the country did not become a republic under his leadership.

Jamaica spent centuries as a colony of Britain until it gained political Independence in 1962.

“Of course, I regret it, but we didn’t for the simple reason that though Mr [Edward] Seaga and myself agreed, that was about the time there was to be a change in leadership in the party and Mr [Bruce] Golding asked for more time to consult with his team before signing off,” Patterson, who was prime minister from 1992 to 2006, told The Gleaner on Tuesday.

Seaga led the Jamaica Labour Party from 1980 to 2005 and was succeeded by Golding on his retirement from politics.

Patterson retired a year later and was succeeded by Portia Simpson Miller as prime minister and president of the People’s National Party.

Patterson told The Gleaner that he has noted, with “some degree of relief”, statements from Prime Minister Andrew Holness during the recent visit of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge that Jamaica intends to remove the Queen as the country’s head of state.

“I would’ve hoped to see by now a definitive timetable. The bill will have to be drafted, and I do not believe that instructions can be given for such a draft unless there is an agreement between the Opposition and the Government as to the precise form of the presidential system in the republic we hope to establish,” the former prime minister said.

BIPARTISAN AGREEMENT

He added that there was full agreement between him and Seaga that Jamaica would move to a ceremonial type of presidency. At that time, he said, the main outstanding matter was to decide whether it would be done by two-thirds of the legislature sitting together or two-thirds of the legislature sitting separately.

“For obvious reasons, I think any opposition party is going to insist that it be two-thirds of the House sitting separately. What I am hoping will be avoided is linking that to a whole series of other constitutional changes, which we will have to undertake. But I would like to see the move to the republican form done first, and then after the referendum, which is required by the Constitution, subsequent amendments to the Constitution can take place, in accordance with the necessary legislative process,” he said.

Patterson reasoned that Jamaica could not be more ready for a shift from the monarchical system as the country celebrates its diamond Independence jubilee.

“We have lost a lot of time already. Six months are required between the time the bill is presented to the House before it can be debated for second reading, and then afterwards, three months are required before it can be passed in the House to go to the Senate. There’s already a nine-month period. We are at the end of March and we can’t delay the process much longer,” the former prime minister lamented.

Last year, Barbados became the fourth English-speaking CARICOM country to replace Britain’s Queen Elizabeth as its head of state.

“To a great extent, Barbados’ decision shames us in Jamaica. It has forced a sense of urgency upon Jamaica’s need to become a republic,” human-rights activist Kay Osborne believes.

“We should not lose the opportunity and lose time in getting it done – in proceeding with the process and completing it. I urge the decision-makers to accelerate the process to remove the Queen as head of state. Another two years is much too long a time to wait on this,” Osborne said.

She added that there is an urgent need to accelerate the drive towards securing slavery reparations and an apology from British interests that benefit to this day from slavery – the Monarchy and Britain itself.

“The Jamaican Government is duty-bound to support in actionable ways the CARICOM Reparations Commission’s 10-point plan. Slavery reparations and an apology are essential, not as a symbol, but in real benefits to help repair the slavery and colonisation legacy damages and to help restore Britain’s compromised humanity,” said Osborne.

Meanwhile, Anglican priest and human-rights advocate Father Sean Major-Campbell said the powers that be should make the republic debate a public one, as it is the only way in which Jamaica will achieve the necessary allegiance to the people and their elected representatives.

“While we should sensitise awareness around the place and value of supreme power in the people, we are already fit and ready to become a republic. We have some of the best political leaders across the political divide. Let us now move on with a deeper sense of self-respect, autonomy and regard for our own capacity,” Major-Campbell remarked.

Efforts to get a comment from Minister of Legal and Constitutional Affairs Marlene Malahoo Forte were unsuccessful, as calls to her phone were not answered.

editorial@gleanerjm.com