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The Prime Minister of St Kitts and Nevis, Dr Terrance Drew, has announced plans to hold a public consultation on whether the country should become a republic and remove King Charles III as its head of state. Dr Drew also stated that he would welcome an apology from the monarchy for its historic links to the slave trade. Buckingham Palace responded by saying that the King takes slavery “profoundly seriously” and has pledged to deepen his understanding of its impact.

by Genevieve St. Clair

Synopsis

It remains to be seen what the outcome of this consultation will be, but it is clear that the country is moving towards a future that is more fully its own.. St Kitts and Nevis were the first Caribbean islands that English colonisers permanently settled, and the legacy of sugar and slavery still lingers today. In the case of St Kitts and Nevis, the public consultation on becoming a republic is a significant step towards this goal.

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The Prime Minister of St Kitts and Nevis, Dr Terrance Drew, has announced plans to hold a public consultation on whether the country should become a republic and remove King Charles III as its head of state. Dr Drew also stated that he would welcome an apology from the monarchy for its historic links to the slave trade. Buckingham Palace responded by saying that the King takes slavery “profoundly seriously” and has pledged to deepen his understanding of its impact. St Kitts and Nevis were the first Caribbean islands that English colonisers permanently settled, built upon sugar and slavery, and the legacy of this past still lingers today.

As mentioned in a news article on a recent BBC News report, the Prime Minister of St Kitts and Nevis, Dr Terrance Drew, has announced that his country will begin a public consultation on whether to become a republic and remove King Charles III as head of state. Dr Drew stated that his country is “not totally free” as long as they remain under the monarchy’s rule.

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The announcement comes as part of a wider movement towards decolonisation and a reckoning with the legacy of slavery in the Caribbean. Dr Drew also called for an apology from the monarchy for their historic links to the slave trade, which Buckingham Palace responded to by stating that the King takes slavery “profoundly seriously” and has been working to deepen his understanding of its impact.

St Kitts and Nevis were the first Caribbean islands that English colonisers permanently settled, and the legacy of sugar and slavery still lingers today. Brimstone Hill Fortress, designed by the British but built and maintained by enslaved Africans, stands as a testament to this history.

King Charles III visited the fortress in 2019 and was given a tour of the island by local historian Leonard Stapleton. While Stapleton holds respect and affection for the Royal Family, he is also aware of the need for his country to reckon with its colonial past and move towards greater independence.

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Dr Drew’s announcement marks a significant step towards this goal, and the public consultation will allow the people of St Kitts and Nevis to have a say in their country’s future. As King Charles III himself stated in a speech to Commonwealth leaders last year, “each member’s constitutional arrangement, as republic or monarchy, is purely a matter for each member country to decide.”

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The movement towards decolonisation and greater independence is not unique to St Kitts and Nevis, but is a growing trend throughout the Caribbean and beyond. As countries grapple with the legacy of colonialism and the ongoing impacts of slavery, there is a growing recognition of the need for self-determination and a break from the structures of the past.

In the case of St Kitts and Nevis, the public consultation on becoming a republic is a significant step towards this goal. It remains to be seen what the outcome of this consultation will be, but it is clear that the country is moving towards a future that is more fully its own.