Attorney General Sir Steadroy “Cutie” Benjamin on Tuesday announced that a bill will be brought before Parliament later in the session to change Antigua and Barbuda’s oath of allegiance, saying the continued pledge to the British monarch is incompatible with the country’s independence.
Benjamin raised the issue during his presentation in Parliament, urging lawmakers to confront what he described as an outdated constitutional practice more than four decades after independence.
“Later in the session, there was a bill. We should present it, aimed at changing our oath of allegiance,” Benjamin told the House.
He argued that it was “about time” Antigua and Barbuda moved away from swearing allegiance to the Crown. “It’s about time that we stop this theory to Her Majesty the Queen… King,” he said. “It’s about time we do that. It’s about time we change.”
The attorney general questioned how long the country would continue to pledge loyalty to a foreign monarch, asking MPs, “How long are we going to swear His Majesty? How long are we going to do that?”
Benjamin said the issue was directly tied to national sovereignty and should be addressed openly as part of broader constitutional reform. “Are we in this region so unconcerned about our independence?” he asked.
Referencing the country’s history, Benjamin noted that Antigua and Barbuda spent more than 300 years as a colony before achieving independence in 1981, arguing that independence should be reflected not only in governance but also in national symbols and pledges.
He said raising the matter publicly was part of his responsibility as attorney general. “It’s my duty to let the people know it’s time for us to consider becoming a republic,” Benjamin said.
Benjamin urged the prime minister and the government to initiate discussions on the proposed changes, telling Parliament, “At least invite the talk. Have discussions on those matters.”
He concluded by linking the proposed bill to wider constitutional reform, telling the House, “The Constitution must be revised.”
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Great news and we must move to the next stage of completely reforming our Constitution to bring it into conformity with our own requirements as a sovereign people.
So is this a step towards becoming a Republic??? Because If the AG Hon. Sir Cutie Benjamin is saying we should get rid of pledging allegiance to the ruling Monarch Charles III then we should also get rid of the GG Sir. Rodney Williams….We should get rid of the Crown off uniforms etc and remove the Royal tittle from the Police Force and remove HRH from the Prison….During public ceremonies we should no longer march in the traditional steps of our colonial masters with swords and all sorts of Monarchy pageantry crap….Lets be our own people and invent our own ceremonial traditions…Is that what your saying Sir. Cutie?
Please do not listen to the AG Steadroy Cutie Benjamin of ABLP and separate the United Islands of Antigua and Barbuda (UIA&B) from the United Kingdom so that this action from ABLP leaves the corruption, theft, incompetence, selfishness, self enrichment that exist and becoming even more worse in UIA&B even worse because there are no separate checks, balances and others the government can be accountable to.
I am encouraging the nation to listen to me whose only purpose in commenting is to better you the people, and unite us all, and does not give me any benefits like politicians who act to keep the power and money they are getting, to be ahead of you.
Separating the United Islands of Antigua and Barbuda from the protection and emergency connections we have will prove to be suicidal and harmful to the United Islands democratic principles at this era.
Please refrain from listening to the ABLP Attorney General Steadroy Cutie Benjamin on this topic and when he conveys crimes are not a problem in the United Islands of Antigua and Barbuda (UIA&B).
This just shows you what an incompetent fool this man is, not that what he’s saying is wrong,but that this is the hill he’s willing to die on, is inconsequential as it gets for Antiguan’s right now..Most people don’t even think of no damn king or monarchy. Politicians are the only ones who only swear an oath to these fools.
Where is this passion for your island Cutie,when Antigua has collapse into a criminal play ground over the past 12 years? Where is your sovereign passion for your place of birth for allowing criminal foreigners to make Antigua into a cesspool with drugs and guns everywhere?
Where is the slamming of your gavel for the many who are gone missing, and the families who are uprooted because of gun violence and other violent crimes in Antigua?
Isn’t that a bigger portion of your job, to come up with ways to make Antigua a safer place to live and visit?
Antigua is in the Top 5 places in the Caribbean to visit, and you just put out the most dreadful warning to both visitors and residents, warning them of the many risk that are involved in just simply going about their business as a free people, (Are we living in a prison to criminals in own island) warning them of the ills that are right around the corner in our so-called most peaceful island in the Caribbean.
Put your passion in that Cutie, and earn your keeps for once.
Bloody idiot!
He wants to be the president of Antigua and Barbuda. Barbados did it a few years ago so, political, election psychology is at work