Jamaica’s foreign minister challenges Scotland for Commonwealth Sec-Gen post
In an unprecedented move, Jamaica has formally announced a candidate for the next secretary-general of the Commonwealth.
Jamaica’s foreign minister, Kamina Johnson-Smith, is challenging the incumbent secretary-general, Patricia Scotland, for the post.
This comes after Jamaica brazenly declared its intentions to quit the Commonwealth or removing the Queen as its head of state during the vist of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.
Its prime minister, Andrew Holness, was the one who announced Johnson-Smith’s candidacy, a recent article of The Guardian reported.
Holness cited the reasons on why Johnson-Smith qualified for the position, which “included her high moral character, diplomatic and political acumen, proven competence and commitment to the work of the Commonwealth,” the report said.
“She will bring a wealth of experience to the position and is committed to international public service,” he was quoted as saying.
Scotland, who has assumed office in 2016, is gunning for a second term. A native of Dominica, Scotland is the second Secretary-General from the Caribbean and the first woman to hold the post.
Jamaica’s move to nominate another candidate caused a controversy in the Caribbean. The Caribbean Community, or CARICOM, has been aiming to back Scotland’s bid for another term.
As the Secretary-General of the Commonwealth, one of the main tasks of Scotland is to promote and protect the Commonwealth’s values, represent the Commonwealth publicly, and manage the Commonwealth Secretariat.
The Antiguan prime minister, Gaston Browne, called Jamaica’s decision to shift direction a “monumental error.”
“Jamaica was party to a recent Caribbean Community consensus endorsing the re-election of Baroness Scotland,” Browne said. “I think Jamaica’s proposed candidature for Commonwealth secretary general is a monumental error, which could only serve to divide the Caribbean.”
According to The Guardian article, “the Commonwealth summit is supposed to reach a decision by consensus and the royal family will not want an unedifying row at what may be one of the Queen’s last summits.”
The CARICOM sub-group has decided to convene and interview Johnson-Smith and Scotland in order for the organization to reach a consensus, according to St Vincent and the Grenadines prime minister, Ralph Gonsalves.
The sub-group is composed of the Bahamas, Belize, Dominica, Guyana, St Vincent and the Grenadines, and Jamaica.