WITH Jamaica on the cusp of its 64th Independence celebrations, constitutional reform advocate Robert Stephens is urging the political directorate to end the politicisation of the country’s constitutional reform and establish an independent committee, headed by civil society, to chart the course towards Jamaica becoming a republic.

His call comes as the Government continues to blame the parliamentary Opposition for stalling the constitutional reform process, while Opposition Leader Mark Golding maintains that Jamaica’s transition to a republic should not proceed unless the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) replaces the United Kingdom-based Privy Council as the country’s final appellate court.

Stephens, a member of the Advocates Network, said the failure of the previous constitutional reform process indicates that a new committee needs to be established.