“Little England” separates from the Queen
Barbados separates from the Queen and becomes a republic
Barbados has broken away from the British Crown and is now a republic for the first time in its history. On the occasion, top politicians, dignitaries and Prince Charles came together for a ceremony in the capital Bridgetown.
The Queen’s territory has become a little smaller: the island state of Barbados has said goodbye to the British Crown and has become a republic. Prince Charles was there as a guest of honor – but the ex-colonial power leaves behind a brutal legacy.
BFor the 55th Independence Day, arbados adopted a new form of government – the Caribbean island renounced the British monarchy and declared itself a parliamentary republic. In the presence of the British heir to the throne, Prince Charles, the judge Sandra Mason was solemnly sworn in as the first female president and new head of state of Barbados on Tuesday night.
Shortly after midnight there was a gun salute for Mason and a parade of civil servants in National Heroes Square in the capital Bridgetown.
Not there was a statue of the British Admiral Horatio Nelson, which had stood there for a good 200 years – until a year ago. Amid protests against racism and colonialism around the world, the government removed the statue from the central square where the country’s heroes are to be honored.
The President of Barbados, Sandra Mason (r.) On the way to her swearing-in
What: REUTERS
“When we don’t know who we are; if we are unsure of what we want to fight for, then we are doomed to be exploited and colonized again, ”said Prime Minister Mia Mottley.
The break with the crown had been announced two months earlier. “It is time to leave our colonial past completely behind us,” said Mottley in the annual so-called Throne Speech.
Mason read the address in her previous role as governor general of the island state – i.e. representative of the queen. In October, the Barbados parliament elected the 72-year-old to the newly created office of president. Mottley remains head of government.
“A matter of the government and the people”
The reaction of Buckingham Palace was cautious: The matter was “a matter for the government and the people of the Commenwealth State”, it said in September 2020. Prince Charles, who represented his 95-year-old mother in Barbados, emphasized there: Even if If some things change, some things will stay the same – for example the “close and trusting partnership” and shared values.
Prince Charles on his arrival in Barbados with Dame Sandra Mason
What: REUTERS
The Commonwealth of Nations is a loose association of states that emerged from Britain’s former colonies. The organization is headed by Queen Elizabeth II. Barbados gained independence from Great Britain on November 30, 1966, but the Queen has remained head of state until now. Most recently, in 1992, Mauritius, a Commonwealth member, broke away from the monarchy.
The first English settlers came to Barbados 394 years ago. Soon they enriched themselves by growing sugar through African slaves. In his book “The First Society of Black Slaves” from 2016, the Barbadian historian Hilary Beckles described the island between 1636 and 1876 as “the most systematically violent, brutal and racially inhuman society of modern times”.
Because of this history, there are calls for reparations and votes against the visit of Prince Charles in Barbados, as the activist Suleiman Bulbulia wrote on Monday in the British newspaper “The Guardian”. At the same time, the country with almost 300,000 inhabitants is also called “Little England” due to the strong influence of British culture.
“Of course, Barbados will maintain a close relationship with the UK,” said Bulbulia. But this is a new era. “As for Little England, these times may call for a new nickname.”
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