Barbados became an independent nation state on 30 November 1966, having previously been a British colony. Like many other former colonies, Barbados became a Commonwealth realm, with the British sovereign, Elizabeth II, also serving simultaneously, as Queen of Barbados.
1979 commission
In 1979, a commission of inquiry known as the Cox Commission on the Constitution was charged with studying the feasibility of introducing a republican system. The Cox Commission came to the conclusion that Barbadians preferred to maintain the constitutional monarchy. The proposal to move to a republican status was therefore not pursued.[3][4]
1. determine the necessity for retaining the monarchical system of government and make recommendations in respect of the executive form of government most suited to protect parliamentary democracy, the fundamental rights and freedoms of the citizens of Barbados and to achieve effective and efficient government so as to position Barbados to meet the challenges of the 21st century and beyond.
2. To advise and make a recommendation concerning the appropriateness or otherwise of maintaining Barbados' link with the Crown.
3. To advise and make a recommendation concerning a structure for the executive authority of Barbados that is best suited to protect the independence and authority of Parliament and the fundamental rights and freedoms of its citizens.[3]
The commission held public hearings in Barbados and overseas.[3] The commission reported back on 15 December 1998, and submitted its report to the then Governor-General, Sir Clifford Husbands. The commission recommended that Barbados adopt a parliamentary republic system. In 1999 the Barbados Labour Party's manifesto proposed that the findings of the commission and its recommendation that Barbados become a republic receive the early attention of the Government.[3]
A Referendum Bill was introduced in Parliament and had its first reading on 10 October 2000. With the dissolution of Parliament just prior to the elections in 2003, the Referendum Bill was not carried over.[3]
2008 proposed referendum
In February 2005 the Government of Barbados announced its intention to hold a referendum on the republic issue.[5] It introduced a Referendum Bill that month.[5] The Bill was passed into law as the Referendum Act in October 2005. The Act did not set a date for the referendum but instead specified that the "Referendum Day" could be proclaimed by the governor-general, being no more than 90 days and no less than 60 days from the date of proclamation.[6] The act itself could not amend Barbados's constitution, because under section 49.1 a majority of two-thirds of Parliament is required to make any amendments.[7]
According to the Referendum Act 2005,[6] the question to be asked was:
Do you agree with the recommendation of the Constitution Review Commission that Barbados should become a parliamentary republic with the head of state of Barbados being a president who is a citizen of Barbados?
Owen Arthur, as prime minister, stated publicly: "Heaven forbid, but if Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth were to die, if Prince Charles and Prince William were to die, I would have a fundamental difficulty swearing allegiance to King Harry."[8][9] The comment came shortly after Prince Harry had attended a public function in fancy dress wearing a Nazi armband in January 2005.[10][11][12]
Mia Mottley, who was Deputy Prime Minister of Barbados, said: "We feel that it is the right thing to do to have a Barbadian head of state. We accept that there was a concern that the Government alone should not make that decision in this day and age and we are therefore committed to expressing our views to the public and having them pass judgment on it."[13]
The referendum on Barbados becoming a republic was planned to be held by August 2008, near to the time of the parliamentary elections.[14] However, it was reported on 2 December 2007 that the vote was to be deferred to a later date.[15]
2015 proposal
On 22 March 2015, Prime Minister Freundel Stuart announced that Barbados would move towards a republican form of government "in the very near future". Stuart told a meeting of his Democratic Labour Party:
"We cannot pat ourselves on the shoulder at having gone into independence; having de-colonised our politics; we cannot pat ourselves on the shoulders at having decolonized our jurisprudence by delinking from the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council and explain to anybody why we continue to have a monarchical system. Therefore, the Right ExcellentErrol Barrow decolonised the politics; Owen Arthur decolonised the jurisprudence and Freundel Stuart is going to complete the process."[16]
The general secretary of the Democratic Labour Party, George Pilgrim, confirmed the move and said that it was expected to coincide with the 50th anniversary of Barbadian independence in 2016. According to Pilgrim, the change would be implemented through a bill that would be presented to the Parliament of Barbados.[17]
According to the country's Constitution, a two-thirds majority in Parliament is needed to authorise the change. The Democratic Labour Party had a two-thirds majority in the Senate of Barbados but not in the House of Assembly where it would need the support of the opposition Barbados Labour Party to approve the transition.[18]
In September 2020, the Barbados Labour Party government of Prime Minister Mia Mottley announced in its Throne Speech that Barbados would become a republic by November 2021.[20][21] The Barbados Labour Party held a two-thirds majority in both houses of the Barbadian Parliament (including all but one lower house seat), enough to approve a constitutional amendment.[22][23] If the plan was successful, it meant that Barbados would cease to be a Commonwealth realm, but would maintain membership in the Commonwealth of Nations.[24][25]
In the 2020 Throne Speech, the Governor-General of Barbados, Dame Sandra Mason, stated, "[t]he time has come to fully leave our colonial past behind. Barbadians want a Barbadian head of state." Former prime minister Freundel Stuart was also a supporter of Barbados becoming a republic, as was Hewitt, who stated in an interview that many Barbadians believe that the country was due for "a native-born citizen as head of state."[26][2] On 3 June 2021, it was reported in Barbadian media outlets that the general public could email to submit suggestions regarding the republic issue.[27]
On 27 July 2021, the Day of National Significance in Barbados, Mottley announced that Barbados' Cabinet had decided that Barbados would become a parliamentary republic by 30 November and accepted the recommendations of the Forde Commission.[28] Under the proposal, the president would be elected by both houses of parliament for a four-year term and be eligible for a second term. The president would have mostly ceremonial powers; real power would continue to be de facto vested in the prime minister and Cabinet.[28] The amendments to the Constitution of Barbados were to be made before 30 November to facilitate the swearing-in of a new president on that day.[28] The decision to become a republic without holding a referendum on the issue was criticized.[29][30]
On 20 September 2021, the Constitution (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill, 2021 was introduced to the Parliament of Barbados.[31] It proposed the following amendments to the Constitution of Barbados:[32]
All references in the law of Barbados to Her Majesty the Queen, the Crown, and the Sovereign shall be read and construed as referring to the State;
All references to "Her Majesty's dominions" shall be read and construed as a reference to the Commonwealth of Nations.
All references to the Governor-General shall be read and construed as referring to the President of Barbados;
All the powers of the Governor-General transferred to the President;
Amending the official oaths of Barbados to remove references to the Queen;[32]
Electing the first President in a joint sitting of the Parliament of Barbados by 15 October 2021 by the joint nomination of the prime minister of Barbados and leader of the opposition with the person elected to take office on 30 November 2021;
Following the end of the first president's term, future presidents will be elected by either a joint nomination of the prime minister and leader of the opposition or if there is no joint nomination, a vote of both houses of the Parliament of Barbados where a two-thirds majority is required;
President to serve a term of four years;
Vesting all property held by the Crown in the State;
Vesting all the rights and privileges of the Governor-General in the President;
Vesting the prerogatives or privileges of the Crown or Sovereign in the State, subject to the Constitution.
On 28 September 2021, the House of Assembly of Barbados passed the bill (25–0).[33] On 6 October 2021, the Senate of Barbados passed the bill.[31] It received royal assent on the following day.[34]
On 12 October 2021, the incumbent governor-general of Barbados Dame Sandra Mason was jointly nominated by the prime minister and leader of the opposition as candidate for the first president of Barbados,[35] and was subsequently elected on 20 October.[36] Mason took office on 30 November 2021 in a ceremony also attended by Charles, Prince of Wales.[33][37] Queen Elizabeth II sent a message of congratulations to President Mason, saying "As you celebrate this momentous day, I send you and all Barbadians my warmest good wishes for your happiness, peace and prosperity in the future."[38]
Public opinion and reactions
In 2020, a source from the Barbadian foreign ministry said, "We love the Queen and the royal family and have no qualms with them. But we must learn to govern ourselves. Quite a few of the royal family have been to Barbados and will always be welcome. Our quest to become a republic is borne out of the fact that we need to get in line with the 21st century".[39]
Sir Garfield Sobers, Barbadian national hero and former cricketer, criticised the government's decision to become a republic, and said, "The Queen was very highly appreciated here. It will be very sad for a lot of us. It was a bit of a shock".[40] Other citizens questioned the need for change.[41]
Leader of the opposition, Joseph Atherley, criticised the timing of the transition,[42] while Grenville Phillips II, the leader of Solutions Barbados, opposed the move as it was without the express consent of the people of Barbados and promised a referendum if they gained power.[43] British television personality, Jeremy Clarkson, commented that the change marked a shift of influence in Barbadian affairs from the United Kingdom to China.[44]
A 2021 survey taken by the University of the West Indies between 23 October and 10 November asked a sample of 500 Barbadians from various backgrounds their opinions following the transition and reported some measure of support, albeit with only 34% showing outright support and 35% indifferent/did not care. When asked specifically on how they feel about having their own president or head of state, 51% responded they wanted an elected or selected head or president in the country while 12% responded with wanting to retain the Queen. There was overall a neutral feeling towards how the transition will impact Barbados with 66% responding neutrally and 21% responding that it will have a positive impact. Across the age groups, support for a republic was strongest in those over age 55.[47][48]
Aftermath
On June 20, 2022, a Constitutional Review Commission was formed and sworn in by Acting President Jeffrey Gibson (as President Mason was on a foreign trip), to begin the process of drafting a new constitution for the republican era of Barbados.[49] It is currently projected that the new constitution would be finished drafted by the end of 2024 with an 18-month deadline. The 10 members of this commission included:
Christopher Blackman, a retired Court of Appeal Judge
Barbados is an island country in the Lesser Antilles of the West Indies, in the Caribbean region of North America, and is the most easterly of the Caribbean islands. It lies on the boundary of the South American and the Caribbean Plates. Its capital and largest city is Bridgetown.
The Government of Barbados (GoB), is a unitary parliamentary republic, where the President of Barbados is the head of state and the Prime Minister of Barbados is the head of government.
Barbados is an island country in the southeastern Caribbean Sea, situated about 100 miles (160 km) east of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. Roughly triangular in shape, the island measures some 21 miles (34 km) from northwest to southeast and about 14 miles (23 km) from east to west at its widest point. The capital and largest town is Bridgetown, which is also the main seaport.
Republicanism in Australia is a movement to change Australia's system of government from a constitutional parliamentary monarchy to a republic, typically a parliamentary republic that would replace the monarch of Australia with a non-royal Australian head of State, as opposed to monarchism in Australia. Republicanism was first espoused in Australia before Federation in 1901. After a period of decline after Federation, the movement again became prominent at the end of the 20th century after successive legal and socio-cultural changes loosened Australia's ties with the United Kingdom.
Republicanism in the United Kingdom is the political movement that seeks to replace the United Kingdom's monarchy with a republic. Supporters of the movement, called republicans, support alternative forms of governance to a monarchy, such as an elected head of state. Monarchy has been the form of government used in the United Kingdom and its predecessor domains almost exclusively since the Middle Ages, except for a brief interruption in the years 1649–1660 during which a republican government did exist under the leadership of Oliver Cromwell.
The governor-general of Barbados was the representative of the Barbadian monarch from independence in 1966 until the establishment of a republic in 2021. Under the government's Table of Precedence for Barbados, the governor-general of Barbados was regarded as being the most important of all personnel of the Barbados government.
Elections in Barbados are held to choose members to fill elective offices in the House of Assembly. Elections are held on Election Day. These general elections do not have fixed dates, but must be called within five years of the opening of parliament following the last election. A former minister of the DLP, Warwick Franklin summed up the general elections process in Barbados as saying it is really just, "30 by-elections on the same day."
The Australian republic referendum held on 6 November 1999 was a two-question referendum to amend the Constitution of Australia. The first question asked whether Australia should become a republic, with a president appointed by Parliament following a bi-partisan appointment model which had been approved by a half-elected, half-appointed Constitutional Convention held in Canberra in February 1998. The second question, generally deemed to be far less important politically, asked whether Australia should alter the Constitution to insert a preamble. Since the early 1990s opinion polls had suggested that a majority of the electorate favoured a republic in principle. Nonetheless, the republic referendum was defeated.
A parliamentary republic is a republic that operates under a parliamentary system of government where the executive branch derives its legitimacy from and is accountable to the legislature. There are a number of variations of parliamentary republics. Most have a clear differentiation between the head of government and the head of state, with the head of government holding real power and the head of state being a ceremonial position, similar to constitutional monarchies. In some countries the head of state has reserve powers to use at their discretion as a non-partisan "referee" of the political process. Some have combined the roles of head of state and head of government, much like presidential systems, but with a dependency upon parliamentary confidence.
The monarchy of Barbados was a system of government in which a hereditary monarch was the sovereign and head of state of Barbados from 1966 to 2021. Barbados shared the sovereign with the other Commonwealth realms, with the country's monarchy being separate and legally distinct. The monarch's operational and ceremonial duties were mostly delegated to her representative, the governor-general of Barbados.
Mia Amor Mottley, is a Barbadian politician and attorney who has served as the eighth prime minister of Barbados since 2018 and as Leader of the Barbados Labour Party (BLP) since 2008. Mottley is the first woman to hold either position. She is also Barbados' first prime minister under its republican system, following constitutional changes she introduced that abolished the country's constitutional monarchy.
Scottish republicanism is an ideology based on the belief that Scotland should be a republic; the nation is currently a monarchy as part of the United Kingdom. Republicanism is associated with Scottish nationalism and the Scottish independence movement, but also with British republicanism and the movement for federalism in the United Kingdom.
The historical ties between the governments of Barbados and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (UK) are long and complex, including settlement, post-colonialism and modern bilateral relations. The two countries are related through common history spanning 339 years (1627–1966). Since the Barbadian date of political independence, these nations continue to share ties through the Commonwealth of Nations. Until becoming a Commonwealth republic in 2021, Barbados also shared the same Head of State, with Queen Elizabeth II as their Monarch.
Freundel Jerome Stuart, OR, PC, SC is a Barbadian politician who served as seventh Prime Minister of Barbados and the leader of the Democratic Labour Party (DLP) from 23 October 2010 to 21 February 2013; and from 21 February 2013 to 25 May 2018. He succeeded David Thompson, who had died in office on 23 October 2010 from pancreatic cancer.
Dame Sandra Prunella Mason is a Barbadian politician, lawyer, and diplomat who is serving as the first president of Barbados since 2021. She was previously the eighth and final governor-general of Barbados from 2018 to 2021, the second woman to hold the office. On 20 October 2021, Mason was elected by the Parliament of Barbados to become the country's first president, and took office on 30 November 2021, when Barbados ceased to be a constitutional monarchy and became a republic.
Republicanism in Jamaica is a position which advocates that Jamaica's system of government be changed from a constitutional monarchy to a republic. Both major political parties – the Jamaica Labour Party and the People's National Party – subscribe to the position, and the current Prime Minister of Jamaica, Andrew Holness, has announced that transitioning to a republic will be a priority of his government. In June 2022, the Jamaican government announced its intention that Jamaica become a republic by the time of the next general election in 2025. The process will include a two-thirds majority vote in parliament along with a referendum.
Modern republicanism is a contemporary political ideology centered on citizenship in a state organized as a modern republic.
Events in the year 2021 in Barbados.
The president of Barbados is the head of state of Barbados and the commander-in-chief of the Barbados Defence Force. The office was established when the country became a parliamentary republic on 30 November 2021. Before, the head of state was Elizabeth II, Queen of Barbados, who was represented on the island by a governor-general. The first and current president is Sandra Mason, who previously served as the last governor-general.
The Constitution (Amendment) Act, 2021 is an act that amended the Constitution of Barbados to replace the Monarchy of Barbados as the country's Head of State with the office of the President of Barbados thereby transitioning its form of governance from a monarchy to a republic. Under the Act all of the functions previously performed by the Monarch and their Governor-General were transferred to the president. The act that was specifically amended was the Barbados Independence Act 1966. The amendment was passed on the 6 October, 2021 with its commencement via proclamation being 11 October 2021. Its long title was:
An Act to alter the Constitution in order to provide for Barbados to become a republic with a President who shall be Head of State of Barbados; and to provide for related matters.
↑ "Call for citizens to propose constitutional changes to Republic Committee". Local News. Barbados Today News. 3 June 2021. Archived from the original on 13 August 2021. Retrieved 4 June 2021. Barbadians at home and throughout the Diaspora are being invited to submit their suggestions for the new constitution as the island prepares to assume republican status. Persons are asked to submit their suggestions in written, audio, and/or video formats in keeping with the committee's mandate to engage members of the public in this historic transition effort. Submissions, including audio and video clips under 10 minutes, can be emailed to republicconsultations@barbados.gov.bb or posted to The Republican Status Transition Advisory Committee, Cabinet Office, Government Headquarters, Bay Street, St. Michael.
↑ Phillips II, Grenville (15 January 2022). "Solutions Barbados - Political Broadcast Message 2022". solutionsbarbados.com. Solutions Barbados. Retrieved 6 February 2022. The truth is that there is no mention of any plan to make Barbados a Republic in the BLP's 2018 Manifesto ... within three months of the first sitting of Parliament, Solutions Barbados will allow Barbadians to give their consent, or not, in a referendum.
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