(Jamaica Gleaner) With Jamaica getting ready to celebrate 50 years of political independence from the United Kingdom next year, most Jamaicans are of the view that the country would have been better off had it remained a colony of Britain.
Pollster Bill Johnson, who, on May 28 and 29 and June 4 and 5, conducted an islandwide survey among 1,008 people, found that 60 per cent of Jamaicans held the view the country would be better off under British rule.
Conversely, 17 per cent of those surveyed said the country would be worse off had it remained a colony of Britain, while 23 per cent said they did not know. The poll has a margin of error of plus or minus four per cent.
The island has been independent since August 6, 1962, after the lobbying and hard work of individuals such as National Heroes Sir Alexander Bustamante and Norman Washington Manley.
But that has failed to impress six in every 10 Jamaicans who long for “the good old days”.
The culture ministry has started the process of setting up a secretariat to coordinate and drive the planning for Jamaica’s 50th anniversary national celebrations next year. A total of $50 million has been set aside in the national Budget for the celebrations.
Prime Minister Bruce Golding has also proposed that Jamaica say “bye-bye” to the Queen (Elizabeth II) as head of state before Independence Day next year.
