By John Ikani
Dame Sandra Mason, the current Governor-General will be sworn in as President of Barbados this week as it moves to cuts ties with British monarchy.
Mason will replace the Queen as Head of State on the country’s 55th anniversary of independence on Tuesday.
Ahead of the inauguration, the Prince of Wales, Charles, is expected to arrive on the island nation on Monday, where he is set to spend two days.
Ceremonies on Monday evening into Tuesday will include military parades and celebrations as Mason is inaugurated as President, with Prince Charles — heir to the British throne — looking on.
Barbados, which currently is one of the 15 overseas realms recognising the Queen as their Head of State, announced in September 2020 its intention to become a Republic.
In September, the Barbadian Parliament unanimously approved a constitutional reform which will see the nation’s citizens swearing allegiance to their country and the continuity of its institutions rather than the Queen.
Speaking about the vote on the reform, Barbadian Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley said it put an end to discussions over whether the country was going to achieve its full independence.
The dawn of a new era has fueled debate among the population of 285,000 over Britain’s centuries of influence, including more than 200 years of slavery until 1834, and Barbados finally becoming independent in 1966.
“As a young girl, when I heard about the queen, I would be really excited,” said Sharon Bellamy-Thompson, 50, a fish vendor in the capital Bridgetown who remembers being about eight and seeing the monarch on a visit.
“As I grow older and older, I started to wonder what this queen really means for me and for my nation. It didn’t make any sense,” she said. “Having a female Barbadian president will be great.”
For many Barbadians, replacing the British queen is just catching up with how the nation has felt for many years.
“I think it’s a very good thing we’re doing, becoming a republic because we were independent 55 years now and it’s time enough that we stand on our own feet,” said Derry Bailey, 33, owner of a beach chair and water sports rental business.
“I expect that things will be better under this system. It makes no sense being independent and answering to the crown. So I really believe that being a republic is the way to go.”
