Queen’s Death: Jamaica accused of crying more than the bereaved

Posted by admin Africa & World Politics, NNP News Sunday, September 18th, 2022

(NNP) The Jamaican Government has come under severe criticism on social media by netizens for declaring a 12-day mourning period (September 8-19) over the death of Queen Elizabeth II, who was the Head of State of the island nation, while the UK, the home country of the late monarch, has declared only a 10-day mourning period, two days less than Jamaica.

Many on social media have accused the Jamaican government of double standard for seeking to get rid of the monarchy on one hand, while mourning profusely, well more than the bereaved despite the bitter legacy of colonization and unheeded calls for reparations.

It was stated that Jamaica has the longest mourning period of all the 54 nations in the Commonwealth. Kenya, another former colony, declared only three days of mourning. Ghana, declared only seven days and Nigeria, the largest former British colony in Africa, declared only two days. Canada which is steeped in constitutional monarchy declared only one day of mourning, September 19, the day of the burial. Australia, like Canada, where the Queen was the Head of State, only declared one, September 19.

It would be recalled that a few months ago, calls for Jamaica to be truly independent intensified with the Royal visit of now Prince of Wales and Princess of Wales, Prince Williams and Princess Catherine. Many Jamaicans called for the country to be a republic like the Barbados which jettisoned the monarchy and became a republic last year.

There have been growing calls among the countries that have the British monarch as head of state to move towards being a republic. Calls are loudest in Australia and Jamaica. Jamaica is expected to move towards becoming a republic in the next three years by the time of the next election after extensive consultations, according to a June 2022 announcement. The island nation of Mauritius was the last (before Barbados’ transition) to jettison the monarchy when it transitioned to a republican constitution in 1992.

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