Protest planned during Royal visit to Jamaica

[WeDontTalkAboutBrunoNoNoNo]

www.independent.co.uk/world/prince-william-kate-middleton-royal-tour-jamaica-b2040152.html

I wonder how long it will be until Jamaica follow Barbados and remove Queen Elizabeth as Head of State, it seems fairly inevitable?

Agree but it means probably swapping the purely symbolic imperial figurehead of the Queen for a deeperservitude to Beijing.

@GalaxyOnOrionsBelt

Agree but it means probably swapping the purely symbolic imperial figurehead of the Queen for a deeperservitude to Beijing.

Agreed 😔

I'd still be pleased to see a shift away from the shadow of colonial rule though

I think I read an article about this when Barbados removed the queen as head of state. From what I remember, Jamaican prime ministers/leading parties have said it should happen for the past 10-20 years, and polling suggests a slight majority in favour of it.
Annoyingly I can’t remember if the article gave a reason as to why, despite the political and public feelings, it hasn’t tipped over into actually happening. I’d agree it’s inevitable sooner or later though.

Could be talking bollocks here but I think Jamaica is talking about having a referendum on the matter; I seem to think that Barbados didn't have one.

Agree but it means probably swapping the purely symbolic imperial figurehead of the Queen for a deeper servitude to Beijing.

This is interesting - last time I was in Jamaica it appeared that there were quite a lot of gov't contracts with China for infrastructure works eg highway construction. Not sure how much in bed they are with China but I am reminded of the shifting world order.

Barbados didn't have a referendum because they have a different constitution from Jamaica, which requires one. The Jamaican government will have to have an extensive information campaign before a referendum, unless they can alter the constitution to do away with the need for one.

On another note, when the Caribbean islands took their independence, a Marshall Plan to support infrastructure , sustainable job creation, education, the list goes on, was not put in place. Coupled with the brain drain, crippling debt and the understandable reliance on tourism, I am not surprised that the various governments have turned to another super nation for help. What is frustrating is that local people are being excluded from work on a lot of the new road building and other projects that are springing up.

What is frustrating is that local people are being excluded from work on a lot of the new road building and other projects that are springing up.

That is the Chinese way. It is seen in all countries they "invest" in.

@Soma - there has been talk for so long about a republic for Jamaica that if the government could have done it sooner without a referendum it probably would have.

I hear what you say about external contracts depriving local people of jobs. There’s also been talk about shoddy work, poorly constructed roads. Easily done if you only have a financial interest.

Cross posted with you @RedWingBoots

No investment in people then.

@Maggiethecat the workers they send are treated like shit and some of them may not be Chinese - they could be N Korean.

Local retailers and service providers will think that the workers are totally being nasty and bigoted because they don't spend money in the local economy, when partially the reason is that they aren't earning enough.

The Chinese have done similar in African nations and former Soviet states.

I learnt about it very briefly about 12 years ago and then more recent then that saw some documentaries - I think on Al Jazeera - about what they were doing.

It has been mentioned in the Western mainstream media but normally because countries like US and the old colonial powers feel threatened by the fact that the Chinese are "investing" in countries they use to have a very strong sphere of influence in. The language the Western media use is one of entitlement - they think they are entitled to the governments in Africa, Asia, former Soviet states, the Caribbean and even Oceania only looking to the US and/or old colonial powers for investment or buying of resources.