Scores of students in attendance at the People's National Party's Youth Organisation (PNPYO) Conference at the Jamaica Conference Centre, downtown Kingston yesterday. -Norman Grindley photoPRIME MINISTER P.J. Patterson has given a commitment to transform Jamaica into an independent republic during the current political administration.
Addressing a gathering of young supporters Thursday, at the People's National Party Youth Organisation's (PNPYO) Conference, at the Jamaica Conference Centre, downtown Kingston, the Prime Minister said: "We are going to be moving in this term towards republican status."
However, he would not elaborate, simply stating that the issue would be examined in more detail on Sunday at the PNP's 65th Annual Conference at the National Arena.
REPUBLICAN STATUS
"We have to abolish final right of appeal to the Privy Council," he added in highlighting one act necessary in the move towards republican status.
"The Caribbean Court of Justice is a must. It is going to take place. The financial arrangements are in place and we have insulated it from the risk of political interference and we believe we have judges with a capacity to ensure justice," Mr. Patterson said.
With Thursday's conference held under the theme, "Integrate or Perish: Regional Integration, The Way Forward", the Prime Minister and leader of the PNP, took the time to reiterate his administration's views on globalisation, the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and the Caribbean Single Market and Economy (CSME).
EMBRACING GLOBALISATION
"It is not I who am embracing globalisation, it is that globalisation is embracing us. We have to find the best method of ensuring that we are not engulfed by this embrace as was reflected by our solidarity in Cancun," he said.
Just last weekend, the fifth World Trade Organisation (WTO) Ministerial meeting in Cancun, Mexico, collapsed when agreement could not be reached on the major issues of opening markets in agriculture, industrial goods and services.
The recent developments, Mr. Patterson said, signalled to the world what could happen when Jamaica and the rest of the Caribbean "stand together as one."
