Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller is continuing her relatively inflammatory remarks about detaching Jamaica’s formal ties to the monarchy. No more diplomacy is involved in the way she is discussing this issue. It is a curious time; last week, Jamaica hosted British politician Shaun Bailey (who is of Jamaican descent and a special advisor to Prime Minister David Cameron) with much fanfare. Jamaica is also in the final stages of negotiating a deal with another global superpower, the IMF, to which it will be soon beholden to for years to repay billions of dollars in loans that are aimed at shoring up the sovereign debt crisis.
Jamaica is also still riding high on the fumes of the celebrations of the 50th anniversary of independence back in August, perhaps Simpson Miller is capitalizing on that. It is difficult to determine how most Jamaicans feel about ties to the monarchy. It is not difficult to tell how they feel about colonialism, but modern ties to the crown are more complicated. In reality, most Jamaicans are more concerned about what is happening on their own soil and matters of survival than political ties to a distant land.
The PM’s frank talk is refreshing compared to the way in which politicians approach this issue in Canada. Most Canadian politicians are politely neutral and Prime Minister Stephen Harper is downright laudatory, so Canada probably won’t be severing the ties anytime soon. In fact, one of the first things you see upon entering the Canadian High Commission in Jamaica is a gigantic portrait of the Queen.
It will be fascinating to see how this plays out over the next while. I will leave you with Simpson Miller’s words: “We have got to a stage and a level of our country’s independence, having celebrated 50 years of Independence, it is with Jamaicans to take the decision, and the changing times call for changes..The Queen is a wonderful, beautiful lady,. I have every love and respect for her and I think I am her number one fan, but the decision to replace her lies with us here in Jamaica.”
Jamaican Journal 