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September 16, 2020
Barbados Governor General Dame Sandra Mason announced in a speech to parliament - written by Prime Minister Mia Mottley - that the Caribbean island will become a republic by November 2021, in time for the 55th anniversary of its independence, which was achieved. in 1966.
"Having achieved independence more than half a century ago - explained Mason - our country cannot have doubts about its ability to govern itself".
The executive added: "The time has come to leave our colonial past completely behind. Our inhabitants want a head of state who is from Barbados."
Up to now the head of state of Barbados has been the British Queen Elizabeth II, represented in the country by a governor.
Barbados is in fact part of the 16 states of the British Commonwealth whose highest authority coincides with the sovereign of the United Kingdom.
Executive power in Barbados is instead exercised by the prime minister.
The Caribbean island, severing the link with London, will also replace the Privy Council (Her Majesty's private council), which is based in the United Kingdom, as the supreme court.
Already in 1998 the Constitutional Review Commission had recommended that Barbados become a republic, but for years no government had moved accordingly.