Jamaica's prime minister calls for dropping Queen of England as head of state

Jamaica's Prime Minister P.J. Patterson

Monday, September 22, 2003

KINGSTON, Jamaica: Jamaica's Prime Minister P.J. Patterson wants the island to break free from its colonial past. The prime minister yesterday called for the creation of a republican form of government and dropping of the Queen of England as the country's head of state, the Associated Press reported.

"I love the Queen dearly ... but the time has come when we must have a head of state chosen by us, representative of us and immediately accountable to us," AP quoted Prime Minister Patterson as telling supporters at the close of his People's National Party's annual conference.

Mr. Patterson said he hopes to enact the change before the 2007 general elections, when he plans to step down as prime minister. Such a move would require amending Jamaica's constitution. 

Patterson's party favors an executive president elected by the people, however, he said he's willing to accept the opposition's position in order to "fulfill the national desire."

"The majority of people in Jamaica are ready to consign to history the last vestiges of colonialism," he said.

Jamaica's main opposition party has expressed its support, but has differed on the role of the future president. It prefers retaining the prime minister as chief policy-maker while appointing a largely ceremonial president similar to the governor general, Queen Elizabeth II's representative in the government.

Jamaica declared independence from Britain in 1962 but remains within the British Commonwealth. It is one of 12 Caribbean countries that retain the queen as head of state.

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