Our favorite (and only) Queen is eighty today.
The government of Jamaica (and the governments of Trinidad, Barbados, Guyana and so forth) are proposing to replace her Privy Council with a Caribbean Court of Justice. For those of us who aren’t Republics yet, the establishment of the Caribbean Court of Justice as our final Court of Appeal is sure to be preceded or succeeded by the replacement of the Queen with an elected President as Head of State.

If we must take the whole thing seriously, as it appears we must, since the Court is already with us, let us consider the Pros and Cons of Keeping the Queen and her Privy Council.

Pros first

1. She doesn’t live here in Jamaica, so we would be spared the tedious speeches which an elected President would force on us at “every event of national importance”.

2. At 80, she is still easier on the eye than the average pompous old man in a suit ( which, believe me, is the only type who will ever be proposed as President ) Plus, some of us admire her extraordinary taste in hats and dresses…..

3. She has a track record of keeping her mouth shut and being absolutely neutral on politics (something we could only dream of with an elected President – elected equals “the right to sound off whenever you’re pissed off” )

4. The Privy Council only APPEARS to be far away and more or less disinterested in what is happening in the Caribbean ( in fact, like Scotland Yard, they have a shrewd understanding of what goes on, and what needs to go on…..) By the way, Scotland Yard, we’re still thanking you for Mark Shields ! Thank you ! Thank you! Thank you !

5. As long as Queen Elizabeth II is with us, King Charles III will NOT be with us

Cons

1. We may not have a choice about keeping the Queen – see The Guardian’s story amusingly entitled “Elizabeth The Last”

2. We may not have a choice about keeping the Queen – see The Times discussion on the not-so-controversial subject


“The End of the House Windsor : Birth of a British Republic” (Stephen Haseler)

“Philip and Elizabeth: Portrait of a Royal Marriage” (Gyles Brandreth)

“Monarch: The Life and Reign of Elizabeth II” (Robert Lacey)

Technorati Tags: Caribbean Court of Justice, Jamaica, Privy Council, Queen Elizabeth II