BIs China behind Barbados’ decision to sever ties with the King’s Palace and move away from the British monarchy? At least the British political leadership believes so. Barbados, a Caribbean country under British rule 400 years ago, has just become the world’s newest independent sovereign state. The Prime Minister of Barbados Mia Motley has announced the severance of ties with the British Queen in front of thousands of protesters at the Chamberlain Bridge in the capital, Bridgetown.
Until last year, there was a statue of a British prince at the site. The statue was removed by the Barbadian people before the declaration of independence. When the national anthem of Barbados was played, 21 shots were fired above the cheers of the crowd who broke the silence. Prince Charles, the heir apparent to the British throne, calmly watched the ceremony as Queen Elizabeth II’s power was declared a new sovereign nation.
Sandra Mason, the former Governor General of Barbados, is the country’s first president. After centuries of British slavery, Barbados became independent in 1966 but remained under the control of the Queen. The population of Barbados is about three million. The people of Barbados are demanding compensation for the atrocities committed against them by Britain through the slave trade.
Opposition to Prince Charles’ participation in the proclamation of the Queen’s sovereignty was also high. Some organizations planned to stage a protest against Prince Charles, but it was abandoned at the last minute due to government intervention. There is a growing demand in the country for Britain to express its sincere condolences to Barbados for their ancestral role in the slave trade.
The media reported that Prince Charles, however, made apologetic remarks in his speech at the official ceremony. ‘The Caribbean has witnessed the horrific atrocities of slavery. This is something that will forever tarnish our history, “said Prince Charles.
There was widespread opposition to Barcelona’s decision to include Prince Charles in the ceremony. Protesters say that opposition to colonialism could have been achieved by alienating those tainted by imperialism and that the country has lost the opportunity to do so.
Is China behind it all?
When Elizabeth II, who is still the Queen of 15 other countries, including the UK, Australia, Canada and Jamaica, comes out of Barbados, the wings of imperialism, which has viciously changed the history of the country, are being torn down, albeit for a long time. There can be no mistaking the world’s suspicion that China has the intellect behind all these actions. Because the Chinese eagle’s eyes have been on Barbados for years.
Britain’s political leadership has previously accused China of seeking to undermine Britain’s position as a key partner with the Caribbean. It has been alleged that China is trying to sway the Caribbean by using investment and lending diplomacy in the infrastructure sector.
‘Some opponents are trying to weaken the alliance with our partners. The challenge they pose is not insignificant. This challenge is very strong in the Caribbean Sea. Some islands are trying to distance themselves from the British monarchy because they see Chinese imperialism as their center of power, “said Tom Tugendat, leader of the British Conservative Party in an earlier interview with the Times.
Newspapers also reported that the CIA had handed over a report to Britain on China’s influence in the Caribbean. In October 2006, President George W. Bush imposed sanctions on Barbados and some other Caribbean countries for failing to sign certain military agreements with the US government. Following this, the Chinese government provided billions of dollars in financial aid to Barbados.
In 2009, the two countries moved to strengthen military cooperation. In December 2016, the Chinese government expanded this military cooperation and provided Barbados with $ 3 million worth of military equipment.
In 2017, China was the largest supplier of learning materials to schools in Barbados. Barbados’ relationship with China has been strengthened since joining Beijing’s Chinese Belt and Roads Project in 2019 (China’s strategic plan to invest in infrastructure development for over 70 countries and numerous international organizations). In 2020, China shipped technology to the island, including laptops and tablets.
China is considered Barbados’ closest ally and partner. China is also a major player in Barbados’ growing trade and export partnership. China has also invested heavily in tourism, the island’s main source of income. In 2017, China was the third largest importer of Barbados, with an import share of 5.65%, according to World Integrated Trade Solution (WITS) data. The US, Trinidad and Tobago are in first and second place.
വിട്ടുപോയവർ മുന്നേയും; What about Jamaica?
Barbados is not the first country in the Caribbean to become such an independent sovereign republic. Guyana relinquished sovereignty to the British monarch in 1970 and Trinidad and Tobago in 1976. Following in the footsteps of Barbados, some countries may come forward with this decision. Jamaica has been behind such discussions for years. It would not be surprising if Jamaica came to such an announcement too soon.
Following Barbados’ announcement, Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holmes announced that his constitution would be reconsidered next year. With the departure of Barbados, the British monarchy is now recognized by 14 countries. Outside the Caribbean islands, Australia’s sovereign is the British Queen. Political observers believe that Australia may have declared itself an independent republic before Jamaica. This is because the argument that the British monarch should relinquish her sovereignty has long been strong in Australia.
Other sovereign states include the United Kingdom, Canada, New Zealand, Antigua and Barbuda, the Bahamas, Belize, Grenada, Papua New Guinea, St. Lucia, Solomon Islands, St. Kitts and Nevis, and St. Vincent & the Grenadines. In addition, Queen Elizabeth has been recognized as Head of State for a number of territories, including the Gibraltar, the Falkland Islands, Bermuda and the Cayman Islands, which are not part of the Commonwealth and are part of the UK, Australia and New Zealand.
English Summary: After Cut Ties with England, China Trying to Grab Power at Barbados
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