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The Queen has received an unpleasant birthday surprise from Jamaica – a plan to drop her as Head of State.
Governor-General Patrick Allen said Her Majesty could be replaced with a ‘non-executive President’ during the opening of the country’s parliament. The Queen, who turns 90 on Thursday, retained the ceremonial role after Jamaica gained independence from Britain in 1962. She last visited the Caribbean country in 2002 as part of her Golden Jubilee celebrations.
If Her Majesty is replaced, Jamaica will retain links with the British Crown through its membership of the Commonwealth
This is the second time in four years the country has considered breaking links with the monarchy.
In 2012, the former prime minister Portia Simpson Miller said she would sever colonial-era links by abandoning the Queen and adopting a republican form of government. Her Majesty is Head of State in 15 Commonwealth countries, including Australia, New Zealand and Canada. However, Barbados plans to drop the Queen as Head of State later this year, ahead of its 50th anniversary of independence from British rule.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3543821/Jamaica-plans-end-Queen-s-role-Head-State-Monarch-receives-unpleasant-90th-birthday-surprise-Caribbean-country.html#channel=f108db3311c563&origin=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.dailymail.co.uk
This is definitely sad news. Why would a country want to sever ties with such a great country like the UK? Practically all of the people in Brixton are from the West Indies (I happen to live in a West Indian neighborhood in NYC). The only consolation is that this was more of a honourary position than an official position. She didn't have any actual power. I thought that West Indians love the UK- during the Bank Holiday, they have the Notting Hill Carnival where both White Brits and West Indians party and have a good time. Nevertheless, Jamaica will remain in the Commonwealth and Jamaicans will be free to emigrate to the UK.
Regardless of what happens, the UK will remain the world's greatest superpower. The sun never sets in the UK.
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