Barbados has passed by 25 votes to none a Constitutional Amendment whereby the former British colony, which remained within the Commonwealth after its declaration of independence in 1966 will become a republic and thus remove Queen Elizabeth as head of state. The decision becomes effective on Dec. 1.
Prime Minister Mia Mottley confirmed at the United Nations headquarters last week in New York that the new constitutional amendment would revoke the Barbados Order of 1966 as an Order in Council of Her Majesty while keeping the Barbados Constitution otherwise unchanged. It will subsequently replace a Barbadian citizen with Her Majesty.
The new change marks the end of a British head of state in Barbados since English settlers landed there in 1625 and claimed the island for King James I.
Motley made it clear that in no way did the country of 2905,000 plan to change its name. “This bill does nothing else but seeks to make a Bajan the head of state of Barbados,” she stressed.
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