Happy Independence Day Jamaica!

Time has an interesting interview with Jamaica's prime minister, Portia Simpson Miller, marking the 50th anniversary of Jamaica's independence. The republic debate was, of course, raised in the interview:

In your January inauguration speech, after your landslide December election victory, you called for a referendum on eliminating the British monarch as your head of state and making Jamaica a republic. Why now?

I am a fan of the Queen [Elizabeth II]. I think she is a wonderful person. But as I said, independence for us is a long journey, from slavery and then from colonialism, and now it is time for us to have our own form of government. I do not believe that is unreasonable. We would remain a member of the [British] Commonwealth. But the time has come.

Great to see once again the Prime Minister guarantee Commonwealth membership not affected by a Jamaican republic.