By Hubert Hutchinson

On 6 August 2008 Jamaica celebrated its 46th year of Independence. The event was under mined by a very eloquent and encouraging speech by Prime Minister, The Honourable Bruce Golding, who expressed much optimism for the future of Jamaica.

However, what has “full independence” meant for Jamaica since 1962? Is Jamaica considered fully or truly independent? A more controversial question would be, ‘Should Jamaica have opted for Independence?’
and ‘What has Independence benefited
Jamaica?’

No doubt these questions will be very difficult and uncomfortable for many Jamaicans particularly since we have recently celebrated yet another year of Independence. However, one believes that
these are very pertinent questions in the face of the current socio-economic malaise that exists in Jamaica at the present time.

Jamaica was granted self-governance in 1959 and then full Independence in 1962 from Great Britain. On 6th August 1962, the Jamaican Flag was raised for the first time signalling the birth of a “new” nation.

Jamaica was thus no longer a colony of the
British Empire but a sovereign independent state, entering into a new era of self-determination, having the autonomy to define its own values and sense of purpose.
Before we can answer the aforementioned questions however we need to define what is meant by the term “Independence”. One definition offered by Dictionary.com (online), stated that it was:
“freedom from the control, influence, support, aid, or the like, of others.” In casting a cursory glance at Jamaica’s past since gaining independence, can
we say that Jamaica is truly independent in light of this definition? This definition needs to be kept in mind whilst these issues are explored further.

Perhaps it could be argued that Jamaica has not successfully redefined itself after gaining independence given the fact that Jamaica has retained many of the colonial trappings on which Jamaican
culture seems to be superimposed. For instance the coat of arms used as a national symbol was designed by the then Archbishop of Canterbury, one William Sancroft in 1661 or 1662.

Under the Jamaican constitution, the Governor
General swears an oath to Queen Elizabeth II. It was not until in about 2002 that a Bill was passed to change the oaths for politicians and judges from making any references to a pledge of allegiance to the Queen but rather to a pledge to the people.

Many have argued for the Queen to be removed as Head of State, thereby getting rid of the Governor General and to opt instead to become a republic like
our Caribbean neighbours Trinidad & Tobago. One of the arguments put forward against this position
however is that Jamaica would lose its privileged position of having the UK’s Privy Council as its highest
court of appeal.

To counter this argument, it hasbeen proposed that a Caribbean court of appeal could be constituted to which Jamaica could sign up to. However some of the country’s leading politicians have argued against this citing the huge cost that the country would incur and which would further exacerbate the declining economic conditions.

The question here though is not whether or not Jamaica should maintain ties with Britain, but what the nature and purpose of the ties which should be maintained.

Jamaica has become the forth most indebted country (per capita) in the world with national debt spiralling into the $Trillions. Jamaica has become one of
the murder “capitals” of the world with crime and violence having become prevalent across the Island in stark contrast to the 1950s and 1960s when crime, particularly violent crimes, were very low or virtually non-existent.

Economic growth has been declining
to almost 0% in real terms in recent years, and unemployment and inflation has been on the rise. The irony however is that between 1950 and 1962 when Jamaica was still under colonial rule, economic
growth averaged 7.5% per year and between 1962 and 1970 the country continued to enjoy growth at an average of 5% per year. In hindsight it
is tempting to ask if Jamaica is better off today or would it have been better off without independence?

This question is further put into perspective when we consider that Grenada, which voted against independence in 1995, enjoys the highest income per capita in the world.

Considering the definition of ndependence it is perhaps fair to say that Jamaica is not truly independent nor perhaps can it ever be. The same
might be said for many countries in the Caribbean and across the globe. Jamaica is not an evolved society and is a nation that is saddled by debt and heavily reliant on economic aid to support the development
effort.

Perhaps the notion of independence is merely a psychological one for Jamaican people. Some may argued that Jamaica only has some semblance of political independence which is largely undermined
by many external factors or forces which the government of the day has little or no control over. It would seem that Jamaica has very little autonomy to pursue a strategic path to sustainable development
but rather is being tossed to and fro in the
waves of global forces.

Some Jamaicans in the Diaspora may argue that their economical and intellectual contributions to Jamaica “The Land We Love and Call Home” can be the defining factors to a truly independent Jamaica.
Prime Minister Bruce Golding said,”if a Jamaican who lives abroad and becomes a citizen of that country, because it is convenient for them to do so because there are benefits to which they are
entitled.

I am not prepared to accept that that person is one bit less Jamaican than I am”, he said to loud applause from the delegates of the 3rd Biennial
Jamaica Diaspora Conference, where he was the keynote speaker.
More than 700 Jamaicans living in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Southern African and Cuba attended the conference. In 2007, Jamaicans living abroad send home approximately
US$2.6 billion. Just ahead of what the
island earns from its major industry tourism, and ahead of what is brought in by the bauxite industry. Another significant figure is the estimated US$40
billion purchasing power of Jamaicans living abroad. It should therefore come as no surprise that the Jamaican Government is actively pursuing this potentially
rich source of investment capital and political influence.

In light of these revelations therefore the question of Jamaican independence is a difficult one which raises difficult questions that cannot be answered conclusively here.
This article therefore merely scratches the surface of complex issues that will lead into somewhat murky waters.

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