The Prime Minister of Belize Johnny Briceño stated it was "quite likely" that Belize would be the next Commonwealth nation to become a republic, stating that the British government had a moral obligation to apologise for the horrors of slavery and supporting calls for financial compensation.
Rishi Sunak, whose parents are of Punjabi Indian descent, said last week in front of the UK parliament that he would not apologise for the country's involvement in slavery and colonialism.
Speaking in Belmopan, the nation's capital, Briceo said: “I think he [Sunak] has a moral responsibility to be able to offer at the very least an apology,”
Briceño added: “When you read and hear about the plundering that took place in the land of his ancestors, I do believe that he should have offered an apology.”
Which countries is King Charles III head of state for and what nations are looking to leave Crown rule?
Which countries is King Charles head of state for?
- Antigua and Barbuda
- Australia
- The Bahamas
- Belize
- Canada
- Grenada
- Jamaica
- New Zealand
- Papua New Guinea
- Saints Kitts and Nevis
- Saint Lucia
- Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
- Solomon Islands
- Tuvalu
Which nations are looking to leave Crown rule?
Belize
In an interview with the Guardian, Prime Minister Briceño conceded that Belize will "quite likely" be the next nation to leave the Commonwealth after Barbados' historic decision to become a republic in 2021.
Geographically located in Central America, currently with a population of 400,000, Belize is a part of the English-speaking Caribbean.
It is one of the eight remaining Commonwealth realms in the region. It was once a British settlement and then a colony.
Belize is the only country in the Commonwealth that King Charles has never visited.
Jamaica
The Prince and Princess of Wales' visit to Jamaica in 2022 was met with protests as the island nation demands reparations for slavery after 300 years under British Empire rule. With the Coronation coming up, there is likely to be a resurgence of interest in the issue.
As the country considers its future, 2022 polls suggest more than 50 per cent of Jamaicans support becoming a republic, according to the BBC.
The Jamaican government has promised a vote before the 2025 general election, where removal would require a simple majority in a referendum and a two-thirds majority in parliament.
Antigua and Barbuda
Antigua and Barbuda's Prime Minister Gaston Browne has declared that the public will be given the option to vote on whether to become a republic within three years.
Browne told ITV: “This is not an act of hostility or any difference between Antigua and Barbuda and the monarchy, but it is the final step to complete that circle of independence, to ensure that we are truly a sovereign nation.”
Australia
The death of Queen Elizabeth has ignited the debate over whether to become a republic and leave its colonial heritage as another Commonwealth country. Earlier this year, the nation took a step closer to their freedom by removing the British royal family from their banknotes. The decision came after a meeting with the Federal government.
The question of whether the UK monarchy should remain the nation's head of state was put to the Australian people in a referendum in 1999, but the establishment of a republic was narrowly rejected.
St Vincent and the Grenadines
For St Vincent and the Grenadines, a referendum on a transition to a republic failed in 2009.
The Prime Minister, Ralph Gonsalves, expressed support for another referendum last year but indicated he would only do so with bipartisan backing, therefore no specific timeline has been established.
