Jamaica to become a Republic.

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"After taking office in landslide, Portia Simpson Miller pledges to drop Queen as head of state and restore prosperity

Portia Simpson Miller has been sworn in for the second time as Jamaica's prime minister with a pledge to ease poverty, boost the economy, heal political divisions and drop the Queen as head of state.

Simpson Miller, who was prime minister for a year and half until 2007, took the oath of office before roughly 10,000 guests on the grounds of the governor-general's official residence.

The 66-year-old politician scored a dramatic victory in last week's national elections, leading her centre-left People's National party to a 2-1 margin in parliament over the centre-right Jamaica Labour party. Her opposition faction won a dominating 42 seats in the 63-seat legislature, leaving the incumbent party with 21.

Simpson Miller, Jamaica's first female prime minister, takes over from Andrew Holness, a 39-year-old Labour MP who led the government for just over two months.

"After being tested and tempered I stand before you today a stronger and better person prepared to be of service to my country and people," Simpson Miller said at the start of a spirited 45-minute speech.

She said her government intended to abandon the British monarch as Jamaica's official head of state and instead adopt a republican form of government. Jamaica declared independence from Britain in 1962 but remains within the Commonwealth and has the Queen as head of state.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/jan/06/prime-...

Hopefully the UK will follow their lead.

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Eric Mc said:

No more Jamaican immigrants then - or maybe not.

I believe Ireland is a republic but that doesn't seem to have stopped the flow of Irish immigrants.

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thinfourth2 said:

I'd happily bet that on average each royal costs the UK less then the average MP

"In his Budget statement today the Chancellor announced that payment to the Civil List for calendar year 2011 will be unchanged at £7.9m. Royal Household spending on support of The Queen in Her duties as Monarch in 2011 will fall from £15.1m to £14.9m"

And her useless son gets to own Cornwall.

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unrepentant said:

Fittster said:

thinfourth2 said:

I'd happily bet that on average each royal costs the UK less then the average MP

"In his Budget statement today the Chancellor announced that payment to the Civil List for calendar year 2011 will be unchanged at £7.9m. Royal Household spending on support of The Queen in Her duties as Monarch in 2011 will fall from £15.1m to £14.9m"

And her useless son gets to own Cornwall.

Peanuts. The Crown Estates has assets of over 7 billion pounds and all income goes to the treasury. Royal Family effectively cost nothing.

Remove the Royal Family and the state can either take the income from the Estates or sell them off.

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Jinx said:

Fittster said:

"In his Budget statement today the Chancellor announced that payment to the Civil List for calendar year 2011 will be unchanged at £7.9m. Royal Household spending on support of The Queen in Her duties as Monarch in 2011 will fall from £15.1m to £14.9m"

And her useless son gets to own Cornwall.

So £22.8 million a year divided by 69 million people approx 33p a year from each of us. I'd gladly pay that for Prince Philip alone.

Maybe that's the way forward. You want Prince Philip you can sponsor him. The royal's can walk about with a sponsors name on their chest like a footballer players do.

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OllieC said:

Fittster said:

unrepentant said:

Fittster said:

thinfourth2 said:

I'd happily bet that on average each royal costs the UK less then the average MP

"In his Budget statement today the Chancellor announced that payment to the Civil List for calendar year 2011 will be unchanged at £7.9m. Royal Household spending on support of The Queen in Her duties as Monarch in 2011 will fall from £15.1m to £14.9m"

And her useless son gets to own Cornwall.

Peanuts. The Crown Estates has assets of over 7 billion pounds and all income goes to the treasury. Royal Family effectively cost nothing.

Remove the Royal Family and the state can either take the income from the Estates or sell them off.

I suspect the estates would generate a lot more income if they are not run by the state, comrade.

If they are being run badly by the state maybe we should get shot of the head of the state.

I thought capitalist were in favour of getting rid of incompetent people?

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thinfourth2 said:

Fittster said:

thinfourth2 said:

I'd happily bet that on average each royal costs the UK less then the average MP

"In his Budget statement today the Chancellor announced that payment to the Civil List for calendar year 2011 will be unchanged at £7.9m. Royal Household spending on support of The Queen in Her duties as Monarch in 2011 will fall from £15.1m to £14.9m"

And her useless son gets to own Cornwall.

So queenie costs us 15 million a year

650 MPs who are responsable for a budget defcit of just over 170 Billion

I think on average the royals are costing the country just a little bit less

So you are trying to deflect the cost of the royal parasites by looking at the costs of other parasites.

I'm perfectly happy to see both groups being decimated.

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Halb said:

Fittster said:

So you are trying to deflect the cost of the royal parasites by looking at the costs of other parasites.

I'm perfectly happy to see both groups being decimated.

What would you replace it with, something more Swiss?

A move to a more direct democratic system would be something I favour. Rulers, however they gained their position are a hopeless, self-interested bunch.

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98elise said:

Fittster said:

thinfourth2 said:

I'd happily bet that on average each royal costs the UK less then the average MP

"In his Budget statement today the Chancellor announced that payment to the Civil List for calendar year 2011 will be unchanged at £7.9m. Royal Household spending on support of The Queen in Her duties as Monarch in 2011 will fall from £15.1m to £14.9m"

And her useless son gets to own Cornwall.

So the civil list costs us half of what we pay (or paid) for jonathan ross, who was also paid for by tax payers. The civil list seem like a bargain.

And where exactly did I state I support the TV license?

You lot seem to love having costs of supporting parasites inflicted on you.

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Zaxxon said:

Fittster said:

And where exactly did I state I support the TV license?

You lot seem to love having costs of supporting parasites inflicted on you.

'You lot'? What the fk do you mean 'You lot'?

The group of you who support paying for inbred monarchs, incompetent political representatives and possibly Jonathan Ross.

That would be the 'lot' you belong to.

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thinfourth2 said:

Fittster said:

And where exactly did I state I support the TV license?

You lot seem to love having costs of supporting parasites inflicted on you.

not really but show me a country which doesn't have parasites

Hardly means it's not something to strive for.

Show me a country without criminals, peadophiles, religous zealots, etc. You can't but that doesn't mean we shouldn't try and remove them does it.

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johnfm said:

I don't know. You should ask him. Did he do a deal whereby he gave up revenues from his property in return for an annual payment?

He is suggesting taking their property. I think mine is a valid question.

How did they get this property? Because god said it was rightfully there's?

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Zaxxon said:

I can't be bothered arguing

You should try, you need the practice.

Zaxxon said:

Check out the many examples of where the Royalty bring in far more money than they cost.

Mickey Mouse is a big tourist pull for the US, they didn't make him head of state did they.