What You Need to Know as Barbados Prepares to Become a Republic
by Karen Rollins Aug 2, 2021
Barbados is set to become a republic on the island’s 55th anniversary of independence – 30 November 2021.
Barbados will be the fourth former British colony in the Caribbean to become a republic after Guyana (1970), Trinidad and Tobago (1976), and Dominica (1978).
Since the announcement was made in the Throne Speech on 15 September 2020, a 10-member Republican Status Transition Advisory Committee, also known as the Forde Commission, has been considering what the Barbados republic should look like.
Prime Minister Mia Mottley recently revealed that Cabinet had accepted the commission’s report, and some minor modifications were made to the document.
Speaking at a ceremony to commemorate the Day of National Significance on Monday 26 July, Ms Mottley confirmed that the country will have republic status by the end of November.
She added: “And for those who are asking, ‘what is all this?’. A nation that cannot define who it is, or what we have done, or what we stand for, and who we are as a people, will never be able to secure its way on the journey; it will never be able to do so.
“Therefore, across all boundaries and sectors, and classes and ages, and races in this society, we must in the next few months, settle on those one or two pages that settle for us, and the world, what matters to us, and what we are prepared to fight for as a people.”
Do you have questions about the upcoming transition? Below are some answers.
Why wasn’t there a referendum on becoming a republic?
Barbados does not need a referendum to become a republic. Instead, the matter can be put to a vote in both Houses of Parliament, where two-thirds of politicians must agree. The government won all the seats in the last general election, so gaining support for the change should be a formality.
What kind of republic will Barbados be?
Barbados will be a parliamentary republic like various other countries, including Trinidad and Tobago, Dominica, Bangladesh, Germany, India, Italy, and Malta.
In a parliamentary republic, there is both a president and a prime minister.
The executive branch (government) is given its power and is held accountable by the legislature (parliament). The head of government is the prime minister. Parliament is elected by the people in a general election every four or five years.
Who will replace Queen Elizabeth II as head of state?
Barbados will have a non-executive president as its new head of state. He/she will be sworn into office on 30 November 2021.
What powers does a non-executive president have?
A non-executive president is a symbolic leader of a state who performs a representative and civic role. They do not exercise executive or policymaking power.
However, a non-executive president may have some discretionary powers of extraordinary political intervention as a constitutional arbiter or guardian. A non-executive president is found in almost all parliamentary republics.
Who will choose the new president?
Non-executive presidents in parliamentary republics are typically elected three ways; election by Parliament, election by a specialist electoral committee, or direct election by the people.
Barbados’ President will be elected by an electoral college of both Houses of Parliament but Prime Minister Mia Mottley has stated that the public will also have some say in who is appointed.
How long will the President’s term be?
The President will initially serve for four years and thereafter can be reappointed for one other term.
What changes will be made to the Barbados constitution?
The Republican Status Transition Advisory Committee, along with other members of civil society and the government, is set to begin work on a so-called ‘Charter of Barbados’ to update the constitution.
According to PM Mottley, the Charter will be non-justiciable and will “reflect the essence of who we are”. She added: “The Charter represents the pledge to each other… the collective pledge of what we stand for.”
From 1 December 2021, final discussions on a new constitution based on the spirit of the Charter, will begin with relevant stakeholders, including the public.
What other changes will there be?
- Knighthoods are expected to become national honours.
- The Royal Barbados Police Force will remove the regal mention in its name.
- Queen’s Park in Bridgetown will also undergo a name change.
What happens next?
The government is expected to announce further information and details about becoming a republic in the months leading up to 30 November 2021.
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Follow official government channels and media outlets to see how you can get involved in future discussions as Barbados makes this significant transition.
