Jakarta, CNBC Indonesia – Two countries that are in the British Commonwealth Realm decided to leave the group. Most recently, this was conveyed by Belize.
The Prime Minister of Belize, Johnny Briceño, sharply criticized the refusal of British Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, to apologize for London’s role in the transatlantic slave trade. He said Belize would be the “most likely” member of the next Commonwealth monarchy to become a republic.
“I think he (Sunak) has a moral responsibility to be able to offer at least an apology. He should have had a better appreciation for his ancestry,” he was quoted as saying by the Guardians, Friday (5/5/2023).
“When you read and hear about the looting that took place on his ancestral lands, I believe he should apologize.”
Belize is one of 14 members of the British Commonwealth realm, in which the British monarch serves as head of state. This country in Central America is the only country in the world that King Charles III has never visited.
Briceño, who leads Belize’s center-left United People’s party, took office in 2020. In 2021, he passed a parliamentary resolution obliging the government to seek reparation justice from Britain ‘on behalf of former slaves and their descendants in Belize’.
Briceño also added that he did not rule out removing the King of England as head of state. It will be like Barbados, which finally left the group in 2021.
“I think the chances are quite high. Very likely,” he said.
Briceño’s comments come after Jamaica’s minister for legal and constitutional affairs, Marlene Malahoo Forte, told Sky News that the idea of replacing the British king as head of state with an elected president could be put to a referendum as early as 2024.
“Jamaica is drafting a new constitution … which will sever ties with the king as head of our country,” he said.
(fab/fab)
2023-05-05 14:30:00
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