Change is coming to Jamaica. The Jamaica Observer reports:

Opposition Member of Parliament Mikael Phillips wants a referendum on replacing the Queen as head of State pinned to the local government elections due by February 2022.
Phillips, the son of former Leader of the Opposition Dr Peter Phillips, made the request in a motion he tabled in the House of Representatives yesterday.
The resolution called for the appointment of a “committee of appropriate professionals” to undertake a six-month public education exercise on the desirability of changing to a republic system of government prior to the referendum. He suggested that following a report from the committee, the country should have a national referendum to approve the change.
“And be it further resolved that, as a cost saving measure, this said referendum be conducted at the same time as the local government elections, which are due on or before February 2022,” his resolution stated.

With Barbados on track to declare itself a republic by November this year, in time for it’s 60th independence anniversary, Jamaica might just be next if a referendum succeeds in 2022. The question is whether or not Jamaican MPs will pick up the gauntlet laid down by Mikael Phillips.

It’s clear that change is coming throughout the Commonwealth, with more and more members seeking to have their own heads of state. Could Aotearoa be next?