Republicanism in Jamaica required for independence, the popularity of the Royal Family amongst Jamaicans, and tendencies towards Anglophilia among the political elites. The first Jamaican prime minister to make steps towards a republic was Michael Manley, whose People's National Party (PNP) came to power at the 1972 general election. His government established a commission into constitutional reform in 1975, and in July 1977, following a march to commemorate the Morant Bay rebellion, Manley announced that Jamaica would become a republic by 1981. However, his government was defeated at the 1980 general election by the more conservative Jamaica Labour Party (JLP), led by Edward
Communist Party of Jamaica Communist Party of Jamaica The Communist Party of Jamaica was a political party in Jamaica, founded in 1975. At the time of the foundation of the party, when the 'Preparatory Committee for a Communist Party of Jamaica' was formed, the Workers Liberation League decided to stay out of it. Instead, the WLL founded the Workers Party of Jamaica (another communist party) three years later. The two parties existed parallel to each other, but the WPJ was larger than the CPJ. Chris Lawrence was the leading personality in the CPJ. H. L. Sinclair was the chairman of the party. CPJ was