ST KITTS and Nevis is to consider becoming a republic, according to a senior minister. 

Foreign Minister Denzil Douglas has said it is time for the twin-island nation to become a “truly independent country”, Axios World reports. 

The news follows similar announcements from Jamaica and Antigua and Barbuda – who have announced plans to transition into republic status. 

Mr Douglas served as prime minister of St Kitts and Nevis between 1995 and 2015.

He told Axios World, some countries kept Queen Elizabeth II as head of state for “sentimental” reasons.

“She was not offensive to us,” though “of course, we recognize what the developing world suffered as colonies.”

New beginnings

King Charles III is now the head of state in several Caribbean islands, including Antigua, The Bahamas, Grenada, Jamaica, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia and St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

Mr Doulas represented St Kitts and Nevis at the Queen’s funeral last month, and describes the relations with the UK as “exceptionally good.” 

He believes now is the time for major changes in the country and across the Caribbean.

Following the death of the Queen “it encourages people to recognise that we must confront our future in a real and positive way.”

“It is a real trend more and more countries in the Caribbean are pursuing,” he says. 

“One of the cool things, though, is that one can still keep membership of the Commonwealth and continue a very good relationship with the United Kingdom.”

Phillip Davis the prime minister of The Bahamas, recently said he plans to hold a referendum on becoming a republic and urged Bahamians to decide if the country should cut ties with the British monarchy. 

Mr Douglas says there is “no particular timeline” for a constitutional referendum for his country, but it is time for the conversation to start.

Caribbean republics

If St Kitts and Nevis becomes the next Caribbean republic, the country will follow in the footsteps of others in the region which opted for a home-grown head of state.

Guyana became a republic in 1970, followed by Trinidad and Tobago in 1976 and Dominica in 1978.

Last year, Barbados became the world’s newest republic on November 30, which marked the Caribbean nation’s 55^th year of independence.

In the early 19^th century, Haiti became the world’s first Black republic and the first independent Caribbean nation, after overthrowing French colonial control.

Haiti’s independence is said to have influenced many subsequent rebellions by those enslaved across the Caribbean.

Belize and Jamaica

Earlier this year, both Belize and Jamaica signalled plans to become republics. 

In March, Minister of Constitutional and Political Reform, Henry Charles Usher told fellow ministers in the Belizean parliament, that Belize need to own their independence. 

In June, a senior minister announced in the House of Representatives  that Jamaica will transition to a republic by 2025. 

According to the Minister of Legal and Constitutional Affairs Marlene Malahoo Forte, a Constitutional Reform Committee (CRC) is now being established.

”The goal is to ultimately produce a new Constitution of Jamaica, enacted by the Parliament of Jamaica, to inter alia, establish the Republic of Jamaica as a parliamentary republic, replacing the Constitutional Monarchy, and affirming our self-determination and cultural heritage,” Ms Malahoo Forte said.