MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Republic road map for Jamaica.

Urging a break from Jamaica's colonial past, Prime Minister P.J. Patterson called for the creation of a republic by the time he leaves office in 2007. This means dropping the Queen of England as country's head of state.

"I love the Queen dearly ... but the time has come when we must have a head of state chosen by us, representative of us and immediately accountable to us," Prime Minister P.J. Patterson told supporters at the close of his People's National Party's annual conference last Sunday.

"The majority of people in Jamaica are ready to consign to history the last vestiges of colonialism," he added. Mr Patterson has long supported moves towards making Jamaica a republic. Under his rule, in 2002, parliament dropped a requirement for those holding public office to take an oath of allegiance to the Queen.

Such a move requires amending the Caribbean island's constitution and although the main Jamaican parties are in favour they differ over the role of a new head of state. Mr Patterson's governing People's National Party (PNP) prefers an executive president elected by the people. The opposition Labour party favours a largely ceremonial post and retaining the prime minister as chief policy-maker. However Mr. Patterson's said he's willing to accept the opposition's position in order to "fulfil the national desire".

A Buckingham Palace spokeswoman said Mr Patterson was "entitled" to express his views on the issue but refused to comment further.

Jamaica declared independence from Britain in 1962 but remains within the British Commonwealth. It is one of 12 Caribbean countries that retain the queen as head of state. Although most Jamaicans say they are fond of the woman affectionately known as "Mrs. Queen," pro-republic sentiment on the island of 2.6 million has increased in recent years. Earlier this year, Jamaica announced that it would join several Caribbean neighbours in abandoning the London-based Privy Council as its final appellate court in favour of a regional tribunal, which could be in place by November.