Jamaica to become a republic

In her inaugural address, Simpson Miller said the time had come for Jamaica to break with the British monarchy and have its own president.

The announcement comes ahead of celebrations to mark 50 years of Jamaican independence from Britain.

Simpson Miller, 66, became prime minister for the second time after her People's National Party won a big electoral majority on 29 December.

Her inaugural address mostly focused on her plans to revive Jamaica's economy. The Caribbean island has widespread poverty, high unemployment and huge debts.

This is not the first time a Jamaican Prime Minister vowed to make the island a republic. In the early 1990s, then-Prime Minister PJ Patterson also said it was time for the island to have its own head of state, and set 2007 as the deadline.