POLL RESULT | More J’cans support combining CCJ adoption with republic push

The latest RJRGLEANER-commissioned Don Anderson public opinion poll has revealed that more Jamaicans support combining the country’s transition to a republic with the adoption of the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) as the final appellate court, rather than pursuing them separately.

The poll, carried out by Anderson’s Market Research Services Limited (MRSL) between January 29 and February 13, surveyed 1,201 Jamaicans aged 18 years and older who are registered to vote across all parishes. It has a margin of error of ±3 percentage points at the 95 per cent confidence level.

Participants were informed that some people believe Jamaica should first become a republic and later adopt the CCJ, while others think both steps should happen simultaneously. They were asked which of the two positions was closer to their view. The results showed that 25 per cent of respondents favoured both actions being taken together, while 16 per cent preferred making Jamaica a republic first.

However, a staggering 46 per cent admitted to not being sure or not having an opinion, while 13 per cent said there was no difference or that they did not care about the process.

It comes on the backdrop of a 2023 finding in a similar MRSL survey which revealed that 45 per cent of Jamaicans believe that the country should have a republic-type government with a president from Jamaica.

In that same survey, 26 per cent supported having a British monarchy, while 29 per cent did not know or were unclear.

A 2024 MRSL poll asked what Jamaica should prioritise, with 34 per cent advocating for the removal of the British monarch only, 39 per cent supporting both the removal of the monarch and the United Kingdom-based Privy Council, 5 per cent favouring the Privy Council’s removal first, 14 per cent wanting no changes, and 8 per cent unsure.

The latter two surveys, which each had a sample size of at least 1,000 respondents, also had a margin of error of ±3 percentage points at the 95 per cent confidence level.

Both the governing Jamaica Labour Party and the opposition People’s National Party (PNP) have long held strong and differing views on the matter, reaching a stalemate at every juncture.

Opposition Leader Mark Golding earlier this month said his parliamentary caucus will continue to stay away from the joint select committee looking at Jamaica’s constitutional reform until Prime Minister Dr Andrew Holness declares his administration’s reasons for wanting to remain with the Privy Council.

“We are not boycotting that committee, but until the prime minister, who has been promising for over a year to say what his position is on this issue, comes to the Jamaican people and explains his position, we are pausing our participation with that committee,” Golding said at a PNP meeting in Stewart Town, St Mary.

Golding and the PNP have called for the severing of ties with the British Monarch to be twinned with Jamaica’s discontinuation of using the Privy Council as its apex court.

More than a year ago, Legal and Constitutional Affairs Minister Marlene Malahoo Forte noted that Holness would bring clarity to the matter in terms of the Government’s position “in short order”.

The Government has sought to push ahead with severing ties with the British Monarch but it has indicated that it will deal with Jamaica’s final court in the next phase of the reform process.

This was further confirmed in the Throne Speech two Thursdays ago in Parliament.

“The people of Jamaica will also be provided the opportunity to have their say on the matter of Jamaica’s final court,” said Custos of Kingston Steadman Fuller, who delivered the speech on behalf of Governor General Sir Patrick Allen.

But talks of a referendum have been countered by Golding, who argued that the process would likely become political and clouded by campaigns for or against.

Asked in the latest opinion poll how they would vote if a referendum were to be held to decide whether the CCJ should become Jamaica’s final appellate court, 32 per cent said they would vote for it. Twenty per cent said they would not vote to support this, 38 per cent indicated that they were unsure how they would vote or didn’t know, while 10 per cent said they did not care.

kimone.francis@gleanerjm.com