By Jay Tavares-
Jamaica’s plans to abolish the monarchy and become a republic was made crystal clear by its prime minister , Andrew Holness, as he welcomed Prince William on Wednesday.
Holness was emphatic that Jamaica’s future is “as an independent, developed, prosperous country”, before he sat down for awkward talks with Prince William and Kate Middleton, who were greeted with uncomfortable protests in the country.
Ahead of their arrival in Jamaica, a group of 100 prominent Jamaicans signed a letter seeking reparations from the British crown for “crimes against humanity.”
The letter asked the Cambridges to apologize, and work to “redefine the relationship” between the British monarchy and Jamaica.
“We see no reason to celebrate 70 years of the ascension of your grandmother to the British throne because her leadership, and that of her predecessors, have perpetuated the greatest human rights tragedy in the history of humankind,” the Advocates Network group wrote in their letter, published online Sunday.
“We encourage you to act accordingly and just ‘sey yuh sorry!'” the letter declared, referring to their online #SehYuhSorry campaign.
On Tuesday morning, as the Cambridges arrived in the island nation, a group of Jamaicans gathered outside the British High Commission in Kingston, Jamaica. Many held signs—some of which read “Sey yuh sorry” and “Apologize now!” One young girl’s sign read “Kings, Queens and Princesses and Princes belong in fairytales, not in Jamaica!”
Jamaica gained independence 60 years ago after being colonized in 1655, but remains a British Commonwealth realm—meaning the Queen remains Jamaica’s head of state.
“There are issues here which are, as you would know, unresolved but your presence gives an opportunity for those issues to be placed in context, put front and centre and to be addressed in as best [a way] as we can.
“Jamaica is as you would see a country that is very proud of our history and very proud of what we have achieved. We are moving on and we intend to attain in short order … our goals and fulfil our true ambitions as an independent, developed, prosperous country.”
Duke and Duchess Of Cambridge (JBarlow/PA) / Wire
Maziki Thame, a senior lecturer at the University of the West Indies who participated in the protest, explained to the Associated Press that the call for reparations has been happening for decades in former British colonies.
“This is not a new cause,” Thame said. “The question is whether it will get any traction…whether the British are ready to contend with their history.” She added that many Jamaicans are not celebrating the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, or 70 years on the throne. “That doesn’t speak to us in the way they might imagine that speaks to us. In the 20th century, Jamaicans have moved beyond celebrating the crown.”
A man carried a sign reading “60 reasons to apologize #sehyuhsorry and make reparations#Jamaica60”.
Ricardo Makyn Image:Getty Images
Lisa Hanna, Jamaican’s opposition spokesperson on foreign affairs, said the last three years had led to a generation of Caribbean people who are “more self reflective, more socially conscious”, and the Windrush scandal was contributing to this. Watching how “our grandparents and great-grandparents” were being treated “gave us a sense of questioning and reckoning”, Hanna said. “It’s time we look at how we’ve given so much of ourselves to Great Britain.”
Political pollster Don Anderson said only around 40% of Jamaicans supported separation from the monarchy in 2011, but the figure increased to 62% in 2020. “I’d be surprised if that number isn’t closer now to 70%, because of the increased calls for Jamaica to follow Barbados in becoming a republic,” he said. “There has also been an increased awareness of the atrocities of colonialism. I don’t think it was on people’s radar in the same way 10 years ago. I believe the government will be forced to respond to this very soon.