September 28, 2009
The Commonwealth turns sixty this year. To mark the launch of a global public consultation on the future of the association, opinion polls were conducted in seven member countries. Their results suggest there isn’t much to cheer about.
Globally, only one third of those polled could name any activity carried out by the Commonwealth and only half knew the Queen was its head.
In Jamaica, the results were particularly alarming. A quarter of people believed President Barack Obama was in charge of the Commonwealth, and another third believed he should take over when the Queen dies. The U.S.A is not even a member!
But it’s not all bad news. Jamaicans were nearly twice as likely to think the Commonwealth was important to their country than people living in the UK, Australia and Canada. Likewise, they would be more sorry or appalled if their country left the association.
Rising out of the ashes of Empire in 1949, the Commonwealth quickly became a useful vehicle for promoting shared values around democracy. In its heyday in the 1970s and 1980s, it was a powerful force on the internationally, spearheading the anti-apartheid struggle and championing the interests of small states around the world.
Today, the Commonwealth’s voice risks being drowned out in a more crowded field of global organisations and its profile is falling rapidly.
Is the Commonwealth still relevant to Jamaica? What benefits does membership bring? How can the association work more effectively on behalf of its people?
At sixty, the Commonwealth is in need of a makeover. Tell us what you would do at www.thecommonwealthconversation.org and we’ll present your ideas to the world’s leaders. When two billion people speak, they cannot be ignored. Make sure your voice is heard.
By Dr. Danny Sriskandarajah, Director of the Royal Commonwealth Society.