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News > Barbados

Barbados On Track To Become A Republic

  • Bridgetown at night, Barbados, May 2021.

    Bridgetown at night, Barbados, May 2021. | Photo: Twitter/ @entornoint

Published 24 May 2021
Opinion

"Barbados no doubts about its capacity for self-government. The people want a head of state of their own country," Governor Mason assured.

Barbados’ Government Cabinet on Monday informed on the establishment of a Republican Status Transition Advisory Committee (RSTAC), which will plan and manage the transition from a Monarchy-based political system to a Republic.

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Although Barbados gained its independence from the United Kingdom in 1966, it maintains a parliamentary constitutional monarchy. Queen Elizabeth II functions as its head of state, while Governor Sandra Mason is her representative in the Caribbean territory.

“The time has come to completely leave our colonial past behind," Mason pointed out in Sept. 2020 and assured that Barbados will become a Republic as of Nov. 2021.

The RSTAC will discuss the rights, responsibilities, and aspirations of the upcoming Republic. Over the next few weeks, the people will send their ideas to the Committee.

This is Barbados' second attempt in five years to replace the Queen with a local leader. It tried unsuccessfully in 2015, following the footsteps of Trinidad & Tobago, Dominica, and Guyana. Currently, the British Monarch still leads countries such as the Bahamas, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.

The Island needs a two-thirds majority in Parliament to pass the constitutional changes needed to push for the election of a national ruler.

"Our country has no doubts about its capacity for self-government. Barbadians want a head of state of their own country. They believe in who we are and what we can achieve," Mason said.

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