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| Photo: Ricardo McKinn / AFP |
Yesterday (23) the Prime Minister of Jamaica Andrew Holnes met with Prince William and the Duchess of Cambridge Kate Middleton who are touring the Caribbean Islands.
During a meeting with the British royal couple, Holnes spoke of Jamaica becoming a republic. “You know, there are unresolved issues here. Jamaica seems to be looking at a very proud country. And we are moving forward. We want to fulfill our real ambition to be an independent, fully developed and prosperous country,” Holnes said. .
This year marks the 60th anniversary of Jamaica’s independence and Jamaican officials insist the government is examining steps to become a republic.
In addition, Jamaica has already applied to the United Kingdom to recognize its involvement and responsibility in enslaving about 600,000 Africans sent to sugarcane and banana plantations owned by British settlers.
Historical process
The arrival of the Spaniards on the island of Jamaica took place in 1494. Jamaica was recognized as an English colony after its acquisition from Spain in 1655 and was officially called the British Colony from 1707. Founded in 1672 by the Royal African Company, it soon achieved a monopoly on the slave trade in the region. As a result, Jamaica became one of the largest centers of the slave trade in South America and is still considered a major colony of the British Empire.
Jamaica was one of the countries that took the longest to gain its independence, a record that the Caribbean nation achieved in 1962 after thirty years of struggle. In the same year he joined the British Commonwealth.
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