JAMAICA Observer online readers have questioned Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller's insistence that the queen should be removed as Jamaica's head of state. On Sunday, Simpson Miller reiterated her Government's intention to shift the country from its neo-colonial state. Here are some edited comments:

RED ANTS

Removing the Monarchy will neither improve nor sink Jamaica further in the abyss. So the move is purely symbolic. Does anyone believe that becoming a republic will make our athletes more successful, improve our production and manufacturing sector, bring more tourists to the island, put a serious dent in the crime monster among us, reduce poverty, [and] imprison current politicians? Portia's obsession [with] Jamaica becoming a republic is self-serving. Her ambition is to be Jamaica's first president. She will be 72 in 2016. What better office to hold at 72 — President, purely ceremonial. Then she will do what she does best — hugging and cutting ribbon.

Robert Collie

Fully supported. It's embarrassing that Jamaica still has the queen as even a ceremonial head of state. Time for her to pack her bags and... go.

Jamaica Ante Mortem

...This endeavour is to cost us over $200 million. ...The question to you is, "Should an already cash-strapped Government spend the money on this or on the country?"

Marky Mark

The other thing to realise is it isn't going to be "The queen" for very much longer. It's going to be "King Charles".... Is that what you really want?

Guest

We need to cut all vestiges of an oppressive and imperial[ist] system that is one of the main causes of Jamaica's problems today. That should have been done in 1962. Good riddance!

enquiring_mind

... The British and their monarchy can be blamed for many things, but Jamaica has caused its problems of today itself.

headnuhgood

Really. So, it's the queen's fault we are so corrupt, right? It's the queen who made us mash dung di place. The only reason she is so adamant that we go to a republic is because in all her years of representation, she has nothing to show for it (list her biggest accomplishment). If she succeeds in removing the queen, then at least her CV will say she contributed to Jamaica somehow. It's all a SHAM, folks!

cuyah

If we gonna get rid of oppressors we should rinse Jamaica House. Portia just trying to come up wid some distractions.

Yadda

Our biggest oppressors come from amongst us. See them splurge and spend to buy themselves new cars then want to change law so they can take money from where they should NOT — RAIDING TRUST FUNDS. Did I mention signing MOU in secret to give away our rights?

T Chin

Are u serious, really?

Martin Greeves

Where we going to get the money from when their Government seh money nuh deh?

PoeticJustice

There might be no purpose in removing the queen and it may cost us. Look at it this way: We were once a former British colony who still has a British monarch as head of state. Someone from Poland or Greece, which are EU members, can go into the UK with no worries. A Jamaican does not have those privileges. I think Jamaicans are smart enough to know this is just irrelevant to their issues and the nations and also a distraction, but it is long overdue to remove her.

kerry

Removing the queen as head of state is not an important factor at this present moment. Jamaican citizens are jobless, penniless and some homeless. If removing the queen will enhance the stability of country, then I am all for it. But if it can stay on back burner for a while longer... then let it. But Jamaicans need a way out of poverty, hunger, and violence, and I believe that should be number one on the prime minister's to-do list.

Clifton Howell

This is a distraction right now, unless the PM is referring to the "queen" of Jamaica. In this case, she should start packing.

Kwamie

We have much more things to worry about than a symbolic head of state. Removing the queen should not even be an issue. Fifty-four other commonwealth nations see no problem keeping the queen. Jamaicans should care less also.

jsonickev@yahoo.com

I am 100% sure that the Queen is sitting in Buckingham Palace nervous as hell at the thought that this debt-riddled and crime-infested nation wants to cut ties with England.

T Chin

...Jamaica is not being oppressed by the Queen, take a real look [at] who is oppressing Jamaica, what is so embarrassing about being affiliated with the Queen?