Prime Minister Andrew Holness
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Prime Minister Andrew Holness
By Prince Moore
Prime Minister Andrew Holness says he remains hopeful that the parliamentary opposition will change its position on constitutional reform as the country move towards becoming a republic.
The opposition People's National Party has stated that it is not in support of several of the recommendations put forward by the Constitutional Reform Committee.
One of the most significant points of divergence relates to when the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council would possibly be dropped as Jamaica's final appellate court.
The PNP wants it to be done during this first phase of the constitutional reform process, while the governing JLP is proposing that it be done in the second phase.
Speaking Thursday at the Jamaica Civil Service Association's 105th annual general meeting, Mr. Holness said he remains committed to Jamaica becoming a republic.
But he acknowledged that there are hurdles which the government must overcome in order to reach a consensus.
"It has not gone quite as I had expected. We needed to have the support of the opposition. We still hold out hopes that maybe we can actually do this. We will carry it as far as we can with the great hope that we can reach to some understanding and consensus. It is truly my wish for Jamaica to become a republic," he declared.
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