The Governor-General of Barbados, Mrs. Sandra Mason, will assume the presidency of the island on November 30, according to the terms of Prime Minister Mia Motley’s administration.
That day marks the 55th anniversary of the former British colony’s independence and incorporation into the Commonwealth of Nations (Commonwealth of Nations), with Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom, as Head of State.
In his announcement of the conversion, the incumbent governor asserts that “Barbadians want a Barbadian head of state” as a logical step toward full sovereignty.
As envisioned by the government, the status adjustment will not mean changes to the country’s name, flag and other symbols, and national astronomical periods, such as the date of Independence Day.
“Barbados, Barbados. We are neither the Commonwealth of Barbados nor the Republic of Barbados,” Motley said last weekend when he announced the nomination of Mrs. Sandra Mason as the future head of state.
According to the prime minister, the change does not constitute a partition decision that reflects a break with the monarchy or a lack of respect, quite the contrary.
“We have an excellent relationship with the UK, with the royal family, and we believe it is time to bolster the confidence of our people,” he said.
The idea of a republic appeared in Barbados in the 1970s with the creation of a commission to study this possibility, but it rejected the amendment.
Another similar attempt was made in 1996, when the initiative was approved during a constitutional review and it was decided to hold a referendum with Parliament’s support, to be dissolved before final approval of the project.
Barbados is a member of the Caribbean Community, the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States, the Association of Caribbean States, and the Latin American and Central American Economic Integration Systems, among other regional organizations.
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