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Reading Time 5 mins
So farewell
Somebody is gonna miss you
Farewell
Somebody is gonna wish that you were here.
Rihanna, Farewell
We could have been so good together,
We could have lived this dance forever
But now, who’s gonna dance with me?
Please stay
George Michael, Careless Whisper
“Little England” plans to remove Queen Elizabeth II as head of state by 2021. 
Thus, Barbados, also known as “Little England”, and independent since 1966, would transform its current status as a Commonwealth Realm to a Republic. Barbadian Prime Minister Mia Mottley stated on ABC News, “We don’t receive any aid or funding that is out of the ordinary [from the United Kingdom], so there’s no reason for us to not go to the point where a Barbadian can be head of state of our own country.”
During her 2020 Throne Speech at the opening of the new session of Parliament, Barbados Governor-General Dame Sandra Mason called Barbados the “best governed Black society in the world.” She stated, “The time has come to fully leave our colonial past behind. Barbadians want a Barbadian head of state. This is the ultimate statement of confidence of who we are and what we are capable of achieving.”
Do these pronouncements send mini shock waves through the 1,200-year-old foundation of England? Consider the following: the 2018 Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in Barbados was US $5.15 billion, and the 2019 GDP in the United Kingdom was US $2.7 trillion. But it’s Little England: Barbados has a bond with the UK dating back virtually uninterrupted to 1627; Barbados was one of the oldest English colonies in the Caribbean; the Parliament of Barbados has been operating for longer than all other members of the Commonwealth, except two countries; and she was a prized colony for the “mother country.” Isn’t there some effect on the British Empire to lose a blessed and highly favored treasure?
The British Prime Minister’s office’s reaction was, “It’s a decision for Barbados and we will continue to have an enduring partnership.” The royal website describes the current role of the Queen. “As the ‘constitutional monarch’ of Barbados, The Queen is not involved in the day-to-day business of Barbados’s Government. However, she is in regular contact with the Governor-General – her representative there – who keeps her updated with any significant news or developments. The Governor-General was appointed on the advice of Barbadian ministers.” When Barbados officially shifts to a republic, the Queen’s role will evolve from strictly ceremonial to non-existent in Barbadian affairs. Though the UK’s cultural connection will likely remain and endure politically and economically, the Crown suffers a psychic loss. And while it certainly will not be the death of the UK by sixteen Commonwealth Realm cuts, should all become republics, there most certainly is a shift—perhaps to an increasing irrelevance of the Crown.
The Daily Show with Trevor Noah opines, “…the Queen is losing all her Black friends!”
Meanwhile, are Barbadians thinking après nous [after us], a deluge of republics occurs? Will Barbados spark an explosion of republicanism in the Caribbean and then globally? Perhaps. But the republic road for Bimshire is more direct. According to the Barbados Constitution, two-thirds of all House members must vote to approve the constitutional revision. Since Prime Minister Mottley’s party has all thirty seats in the House and electorate approval is not required, she will obtain the green light to become a republic. However, besides the two-thirds legislative vote, the countries of Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas, and Jamaica must obtain approval from their electorates. This has derailed attempts toward republicanism in the past and possibly in the future for these and other Commonwealth realms.
Errol Barrow, Barbados’ Prime Minister, 1966-1976.
This y
ear is not the first time Barbados contemplated republicanism. In 1966 the first Prime Minister of Barbados, Errol Barrow, declared that Barbados would not “be found loitering on the colonial premises after closing time.” Subsequent leaders appointed two commissions in the 1970s and 1990s, and a law was passed in 2005 to hold a referendum to initiate the process for forming a republic, but the efforts stalled.
What is one of the issues that places Barbados on the cusp of completing the process toward becoming a republic? Protest? For instance, amid the international Black Power movement forty-five years ago, three Caribbean countries successfully separated from the Queen to form republics: Guyana in 1970; Trinidad and Tobago in 1976; and Dominica in 1978. Accompanying the increasing Black consciousness was an analysis of the intersections of colonialism, imperialism, white supremacy wielded by the Crown historically and in the then present. The phrases “self-determination,” “nation-building,” “They owe us!”, and “Power to the people” were used to galvanize the individual electorates to struggle for full sovereignty.
Today, the phrases are “Black Lives Matter,” “Say her name—Breonna Taylor,” “George Floyd,” “Reparations,” and “Defund the Police.” There is a heightened awareness among diverse populations globally of the growing menace of white supremacy, police brutality, nativism, and the abuse of the environment.
Concomitantly, there is an intense yearning to reassess Britain’s legacy, especially in light of the Windrush Scandal, which caused the detaining and deportation of Caribbean born men and women who lived, worked, and raised families in the United Kingdom for decades. The announcement to remove the Queen as head of state arises out of this environment and is spurred on by the words of Errol Barrow and academics to complete the circle of full independence.
Bussa emancipation statue, Bridgetown, Barbados, 2011 Photo by Dogfacebob.
Part of this closure is the homage paid to The Bussa Rebellion of 1816–the most massive slave revolt in Barbados’ history. The rebellion took its name from the African born slave, Bussa, who led the uprising. Barbados may be Little England, but her past is replete with similar warriors for freedom and full self-determination for Barbadians and beyond.
That battle continues today in the form of reparations. Perhaps the arc of the moral universe will proceed from colonization to independence to republicanism to reparations. Each point on the curve builds upon the other and creates a momentum that transforms tiny sparks of ideas germinating in the minds of a few visionaries on the “radical fringe” into the people’s overwhelming will. Psychologically, it is difficult for a country to fight ferociously against an entity that is their head of state.
The severing of the final string to the Crown, participation in the Commonwealth notwithstanding, opens the door for a vigorous battle as a Republic righteously calls for reparations from their former mother country. CARICOM Reparations Commission (CRC), established in 2013, is positioned to advance toward its goals and move discussions to demands, negotiations, agreements, and multi-pronged contributions by countries formerly participating in the Trans-Atlantic trading of Africans.
Sir Hilary Beckles, Chairman of the CRC, states, “…reparatory justice is about development and that Britain and Europe do, indeed, owe a debt to this region, a debt that is recognized, a debt that can be computed, a debt that is historically sound, in terms of its legitimacy.”
Many challenges await Bim as it enters this planned last year as a Commonwealth Realm. Maintain and improve the economic, political, and social stability. Attract more significant foreign investment. Increase local and international confidence in good governance.
Will the expectations of the electorate be met? What surprises await? Who will be the first President? Will leadership navigate the dangerous waters of reparative justice within and surrounding the island? Will reparations erect a fiscal and cultural base from which economic growth will flourish? It is an exciting time for the leaders and citizens of Barbados. Bajans currently on the island and those living away with Bajan blood are confident that Barbados will thrive as it serves its people efficiently and lovingly—less like a monarch and more like a close family member.
Long live The Republic of Barbados!
Gerard Leach has spent time in business, education, and the non- profit sector. He lives in Brooklyn with his wife and two sons.