JAMAICAN STATEMENT ON COMMONWEALTH RACE MISLEADS

The Government of Jamaica put out a statement on Friday 21 May 2022 in London to all High Commissions in London of Commonwealth countries.  The statement purports to explain that the Caricom region has endorsed the candidacy of Jamaica.  This is not true.  The facts are that the Caricom countries in their meeting in Belize agreed that the candidate for SG of the Commonwealth would be Baroness Patricia Scotland.  The Caricom outcome document said that she had overwhelming support.  A few weeks later Jamaica decided to break that consensus by interposing its Foreign Minister as a candidate.  The question was why.  The Prime Minister of Jamaica explained that he had been asked by other countries.  It turns out that at least one of the other countries was the United Kingdom.  That country still sees the Commonwealth as the Empire.  It is unfortunate that Jamaica is being used to pursue this fantasy.  The Jamaican statement became necessary because  several countries have been asking the question why can’t the Caricom region get its act together and have one candidate not two.  Jamaica keeps saying that they are not the source of the problem, but they are.