Barbados has announced plans to remove Queen Elizabeth II as its head of state and become a republic by next year.
Barbados will become the first Commonwealth realm since 1992 to abandon the British queen as its constitutional monarch.
Barbados Governor-General Sandra Mason said the country is preparing to take steps “toward full sovereignty and become a Republic” by its 55th anniversary of independence, which will take place Nov. 30, 2021.
Mason went on to call Barbados the “best governed Black society in the world.”
“Having attained Independence over half a century ago, our country can be in no doubt about its capacity for self-governance. The time has come to fully leave our colonial past behind,” Mason said. “Barbadians want a Barbadian Head of State. This is the ultimate statement of confidence in who we are and what we are capable of achieving.”
The queen remains head of state of the United Kingdom and 15 other countries formerly under British rule — including Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Jamaica, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent, The Bahamas, and the Grenadines.
Buckingham Palace said the issue was a matter for the people of Barbados, according to Reuters.
“Barbados and the UK are united in our shared history, culture, language and much more. We have an enduring partnership and will continue to work with them along with all our valued Caribbean partners,” a Foreign Office spokeswoman said.
Mason makes it clear that the road ahead may not be a smooth one, but that the island is equipped for the trials ahead.
“The peril and uncertainty of the times compel us to reinforce our foundation. Equally, we are challenged to shore up our traditional structures and find stronger, more resilient, more sustainable architecture, on which we can build a modern and enduring structure for current and future generations,” Dame Sandra said.
