'No empty symbolism': PM responds to talk about Jamaica becoming a republic

 

Prime Minister Andrew Holness has responded to the clamour for Jamaica to remove the British monarch as head of state and establish itself as a republic, saying he is not interested in pursuing empty symbolism.

 

He made the comments on Thursday afternoon at the official opening of Ocean Eden Bay Hotel in Trelawny.

 

Mr. Holness noted the fact that as Jamaica approaches its 60th year of independence, a lot of discussion has been generated regarding its status as a nation.

 

He said the questions would be addressed shortly.

 

But Mr. Holness suggested he would like to see Jamaica accomplish certain things before declaring itself free of 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," he declared.  

 

Mr. Holness insisted that there should be no question about whether Jamaica is a republic when it is declared.

 

He revealed that a process of "full and direct discourse" on the matter has started. 

 

This was the first time Mr. Holness was addressing the issue of Jamaica becoming a republic since Barbados took that step at the end of November.

 

Since then, there have been calls for Jamaica to do the same, with former Prime Minister P.J. Patterson writing to Mr. Holness and Opposition Leader Mark Golding, urging them to begin the process before Jamaica celebrates its Diamond Jubilee next year.

 

 

In the meantime, Mr. Holness said he wants to see an entertainment institute funded by tourism, established for Jamaica's 60th anniversary of independence.

 

Mr. Holness said there have been questions about tourism's contribution to Jamaica and he would like to see more linkages between that industry and others.

 

He pointed to entertainment and culture as low-hanging fruits for establishing deeper linkages. 

 

"For a 60th year, we need to see an institute that is going to train persons in entertainment and culture so that the offerings are not just unidimensional, so that our local persons who are naturally talented, naturally gifted, can be exposed to a wide variety of other forms and areas of entertainment that they themselves can become professionals in, and I think the tourism industry could give Jamaica this as a gift for our 60th year," the Prime Minister asserted.  

 

Mr. Holness said the proposed institute could also be financed by the Tourism Enhancement Fund.