After centuries under the British monarch, Barbados finally cuts ties to become a Republic

Barbados, in the Caribbean, is now a Republic, the world’s latest. Importantly, it cuts off its ties with the British monarchy and with it, the last link to a brutal colonial past dating back to the 17th century. Barbados is the land of pristine beaches and glorious cricket, of Everton Weekes and Gary Sobers, Gordon Greenidge and Desmond Haynes, and Malcolm Marshall and Joel Garner. The Republic now shapes a new legacy, of democracy, and is a beacon light for the handful of countries that still remain tethered to their past colonisers. In 1627, Barbados became a British colony, dependent on a plantation economy run by slaves from Africa. Slavery was outlawed only in 1807. It became an independent State in 1966 but remained part of the Commonwealth Realm. The Realm, not to be confused with the Commonwealth of Nations, is a sovereign State with British Queen Elizabeth II as its monarch and Head of State. As of date, there are 15 such realms excluding Barbados. It severs its ties with its former coloniser on the 55th anniversary of its independence. The last Governor-General is now the first President of the country. Both are titular posts, but the latter represents the free will of the Barbadians. Its Prime Minister indicated the direction in which Barbados is moving and expects the world to move: “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.” Other Caribbean countries that exited the Realm are Guyana, Trinidad and Tobago and Dominica. The new Republic rises at a time when Britain’s colonial past is coming under scrutiny from its people and the Queen’s family itself. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have urged the country to acknowledge its colonial past, however uncomfortable it might be, in order to move forward.

There are still several countries, many of them blips on the map, even today under the jurisdiction of the United States, France, Australia, Denmark, Netherlands, Norway and New Zealand apart from the UK. It is the emergence of these countries as independent republics that will conclude the clash between the colonists and colonies that spread a wave of decolonisation in the world throughout the 20th century, freeing so many colonies and restoring their independent rule, dignity and identity. Colonialism is exploitative and runs counter to the principle of equality and sovereignty, the cornerstones of the United Nations. The fact that the archaic mode of exploitative governance is still in vogue in some places even though it should not be, needs to be iterated in light of the Barbados example. The agenda of decolonisation is based on one principle alone: independence of a country from any form of external governance and independence of its people to have a free association with any form of Government. The 21st century expects the remaining countries to follow the Barbados model and embrace independence along with the human right of self-determination.