Britain's Queen Elizabeth II has spoken to Jamaica's parliament, stressing the importance of bonds between nations in the wake of the September 11 attacks in the United States.

The queen spoke Tuesday on the second day of her visit to Jamaica, a former British colony.

She said the events of last September are a reminder that people are more than ever part of a global network.

The queen also commended Jamaicans for making efforts to protect families and for their well-known achievements in scholarship, music, arts, sports and contributions to international dialogue.

Outside parliament, school children waved Jamaican flags as they lined the streets to greet the queen. Security was tight as the British monarch and her husband, Prince Philip, moved around the island.

The speech comes as Jamaica marks 40 years of independence from Britain and the queen celebrates 50 years on the throne.

Although the island gained its independence from Britain in 1962, Queen Elizabeth remains the ceremonial head of state. There is an ongoing debate over whether this should continue.

The queen wraps up her visit to Jamaica on Wednesday.

Some information for this report provided by AP.

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