historic links to the slave trade and on the matter of countries becoming republics, king charles has said it is a matter for each nation to decide. britain s influence remains strong here even after almost 40 years of independence but as this nation reaches that milestone, there is ongoing debate around its identity. we still have the same colonialistic thinking and that is one thing we have to move away from. that is why i think becoming a republic would just benefit our people more. for us to be so small as to go such a big step would be i impressionable onto the world, iwouid sax but a recent poll suggests the country is still split on whether becoming a republic is a good idea. if there is one place that illustrates st kitts and nevis colonial past it is brimstone hill fortress, the site of several royal visits, including the then