Kingston – Prime Minister Andrew Holness is promising that the issue of the country’s future constitutional status will be addressed shortly, even as he warned that “there must not be empty symbolism” moving forward.
In recent days, Jamaicans have raised the issue of the island replacing Britain’s Queen Elizabeth as the head of state and following Caribbean Community (CARICOM) countries such as Barbados, Guyana, Dominica and Trinidad and Tobago.
Jamaica’s former prime minister, PJ Patterson, has said the removal of the Queen as the head of state cannot wait on a full review of the constitution.
Patterson, 86, who served as prime minister from 1992 to 2006, has written to Prime Minister Andrew Holness and Leader of the Opposition Mark Golding urging them to swiftly begin the process for removal of the queen as Jamaica prepares to celebrate its 60th year of independence.
But addressing the official opening of Ocean Eden Bay Hotel in Trelawny, north west of here on Thursday evening, Holness said the fact that as Jamaica approaches its 60th year of independence, there has been a lot of discussion on the issue, promising that the questions raised would be addressed shortly.
However, Holness said he would like to see Jamaica accomplish certain things before taking the step to replace the Queen.
“The nation is as the nation does, and there are some people who want to speak prosperity into being, speak sovereignty and independence into being. My philosophy is that we must do these things into being. We must make them happen.
“There must not be empty symbolism. It must be genuine. It is what we are in our actions and in our achievements and what we have done. So, I am building towards the aspiration,” Holness said.
“So having said what I have said in very vague terms, but I am certain those who have ears to hear those vague terms will understand until it is time for us to have that . . . direct discourse which that process has started.”
In his address, Holness made a call for an entertainment institute funded by tourism, to be established here.
“We need to see an institute that is going to train persons in entertainment and culture . . . so that our local people who are naturally talented, naturally gifted can be exposed to a wide variety of other forms . . . of entrainment that they themselves can become professionals in and I think the tourism industry could give Jamaica this as a gift for our 60th year,” Holness added.
He told the ceremony that the island remains favourable for foreign direct investment (FDI), despite the impact of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and that his administration continues to create a positive and resilient fiscal environment, which has been reaffirmed by international rating agencies. (CMC)
