Last Updated on: 26th June 2023, 11:29 pm
Barbados Becomes A Republic, Replacing The British Queen
Barbados is on the brink of secession from the British monarchy, but the legacy of a sometimes brutal colonial past and the pandemic’s impact on tourism pose major challenges for the Caribbean island, which is becoming the most recent republic of the world.
Barbados, famous for its beaches and love of cricket, this week will replace its head of state, Queen Elizabeth II, with its current representative, Governor-General Sandra Mason.
From Monday evening to Tuesday, the ceremonies will include military parades and celebrations when Mason is sworn in as president, under the supervision of Prince Charles, heir to the British throne.
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The dawn of a new era fueled debate among the population of 285,000 over centuries of British influence, including over 200 years of slavery until 1834, and Barbados eventually gained independence in 1966.
Barbados elected Mason as its first president in October, a year after Prime Minister Mia Mottley said the country would “completely” abandon its colonial past.
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