Elizabeth Morgan | Outcomes from the US midterm elections, King Charles’ Caribbean visit, and CHOGM

Last week, this column looked at Jamaica’s explanation of vote in the UN General Assembly’s consideration of the annual resolution calling for the lifting of the US trade embargo on Cuba, concluding that dialogue between the USA and Cuba might not be feasible. This vote remains a current issue, though overshadowed somewhat by unseemly conduct in the Parliament.

On the other items on last week’s agenda, the US midterm elections and the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM), a lot has happened in a week.

The US Midterm elections

The US midterm elections certainly had very surprising results. The American people woke up and spoke out loudly through their ballots, routing the Republicans.

Talk about shock and awe! In the next Congress, the House of Representatives and the Senate will be controlled by the Democrats. Hopefully, the new Congress will play its role of applying checks and balances on the executive, the president, the vice president, and the Cabinet.

History was also made in many ways, the first black person and a woman, Keisha Lance Bottoms (Democrat), was elected governor of the state of Georgia. It appears that a black man, Scott Colom (Democrat), could be elected to the Senate from Mississippi, the first since 1881.

Thirty-eight per cent of Mississippi’s population of nearly three million is black. It has the largest black population of any state in the USA. Mississippi is interesting as, up to the 1930s, its population was majority black being over 50 per cent. The black population declined after the 1930s, as a large number migrated to the northern states in what is known as the Great Migration. Scott Colom is leading in the ballots counted, 96 per cent at the time of writing.

Where Jamaica is concerned, there are now two governors with Jamaican heritage. Another history-making first is Byron Donalds (Republican) who became the first black person to be elected governor of Florida. His mother’s parents were immigrants from Jamaica. The other governor with Jamaican links is Westley (Wes) Moore of Maryland, whose mother and her parents were immigrants from Jamaica.

The Trump Administration rejected Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) as woke. Well, the voters went for DEI. That will now be more reflected in the US Congress and in state governments with a record number of women, blacks, indigenous people, disabled, Muslims, and homosexuals. The Congress will reflect the USA.

More history could be made in January, if, as expected, Democrat Hakeem Jefferies is elected Speaker of the House. He would be the first black person to hold this post in US history.

It is not only Americans who had expectations from these midterm elections. Many around the world were watching, hoping, and praying, and welcomed the results. Like the Americans, people outside are expecting to see this new 120th Congress do actual work and not spend time infighting, on radical culture issues, and pursuing presidential ambitions for 2028. We are expecting to see checks and balances applied and actions that will not only benefit Americans, but also US traditional partners. We are looking forward to the start of the new Congress on January 3, 2027.

King Charles’ Caribbean tour and CHOGM

British media reporters accompanying King Charles III on his nine-day, three-country tour in the Caribbean have described it as hectic, complicated, and a diplomatic challenge. However, despite his age and state of health, they seemed to agree that King Charles, and later his wife, Queen Camilla, rose to the challenge. The King did not shy away from the subject of slavery. From the reporting and video footage, it appears that he was warmly welcomed by the government and people in the countries, with small groups of demonstrators calling for reparations. Part of his diplomatic achievement was his speech at the opening at the CHOGM.

The British media, as expected by this column, was focused on reparations and republicanism. The King did not offer an apology for slavery, as he could not. That has to be the decision of the British Government. The new UK Prime Minister, Andy Burnham, also attended the CHOGM. In a Guardian newspaper op-ed on the eve of CHOGM, he surprised everyone, possibly even the king, and said that he may be open to an apology, though he wants to focus on the development issues of the present and future. PM Burnham may have some tough questions to field at PM’s Question Time in the House of Commons this week, as he was also seen playing cricket and steel pan in Antigua.

In the CHOGM Communiqué, under Reparatory Justice, it states, “ We welcome the agreement of the Government of the United Kingdom to engage in a structured, time-bound, inclusive and good-faith dialogue with affected parties addressing the transatlantic trafficking of enslaved Africans and its historical harms.” This column does not view “dialogue” as “negotiations”. We must also recall that there is a reparations petition submitted by Jamaica before the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council which is to be addressed in March 2027.

The Communiqué focuses on the CHOGM theme which is, ‘Accelerating Partnerships and Investment for a Prosperous Commonwealth’ and deals with matters related to: The global situation and its implications; Resilient democracy as the foundation for Commonwealth prosperity; Building resilience in the Commonwealth through common positions; Economic cooperation, trade and investment; Harnessing education, technology, innovation and digital inclusion; and other matters addressed within the Commonwealth.

On the matter of realm countries in the Commonwealth transitioning from monarchies, using the British monarch as their national head of state, to republics, it is reported that King Charles and the Royal Family have made it quite clear that they have no problem with these countries making this transition. This is a decision for the countries involved, including Jamaica. Note that 17 Commonwealth countries transitioned to republics during the reign of Queen Elizabeth II. It is up to Jamaica to move on as PM Holness publicly told Prince William in March 2022. This was not really an issue on King Charles’ tour of the Caribbean.

Elizabeth Morgan is a specialist in international trade policy and international politics. Send feedback to columns@gleanerjm.com.