Barbados to cut ties with UK, become republic
The island of Barbados is cutting its ties with the United Kingdom and will declare itself a republic early Tuesday.
The Caribbean island’s Parliament voted last month for its first-ever president and will mark the transition with a large ceremony where Prince Charles will speak before Barbados Governor General Sandra Mason, who had been previously appointed by Queen Elizabeth, is be sworn in as president shortly after midnight.
The ceremony will also coincide with the 55th anniversary of the island losing its status as a British colony through its own independence movement.
Barbados will also leave the Commonwealth Realm, a group of countries, many former British colonies, like Australia, Canada, Jamaica and others which are independent but maintain close relationships to the British monarchy and consider the queen the symbolic head of state, according to the Associated Press.
“The time has come to fully leave our colonial past behind,” Mason, 72, said in a speech last month while adding the nation would maintain a good relationship with the crown.
“Ours is a partnership built to last as we tackle shared global challenges like the climate crisis and global recovery from the pandemic together,” British prime minister Boris Johnson said in a statement.
With News Wire Services
