THE EDITOR, Sir:
THE PRIME Minister has recently declared that we will soon not have to pledge allegiance to the Queen. While I am in total support of this I hope the people of Jamaica are aware that this is a first step to the setting up of a republic. I am not against a republic in the strictest sense but the format that this will take is of concern to me.
The system I think the Prime Minister is advocating is one similar to what Trinidad has where the President is appointed in much the same way we do Governors-General but without the approval of the Queen. I am however in support of a system in which we the people elect a President directly by popular vote.
I hope that in the discussions to come more than one republican model will be placed before the people and they be allowed to chose rather than the politicians merely giving us one.
I am etc.,
RICARDO SMALLING
E-mail:
rhamim@go-jamaica.com
Kingston
Via Go-Jamaica
