Barbados to become a republic, replacing British queen

AFP via msn ^ | 27 November 2021 | str-bgs/to/dw

[blueplum]

BBarbados is about to cut ties with the British monarchy, but the legacy of a sometimes brutal colonial past and the pandemic's impact on tourism pose major challenges for the Caribbean island as it becomes the world's newest republic.

Famed for its beaches and love of cricket, Barbados will this week replace its head of state, Queen Elizabeth II, with her current representative, Governor General Sandra Mason.

Ceremonies on Monday evening into Tuesday will include military parades and celebrations as Mason is inaugurated as president,...

In October, Barbados elected Mason to become its first president, one year after Prime Minister Mia Mottley declared that the country would "fully" leave its colonial past.

But some Barbadians argue there are more pressing national issues, including economic turmoil caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, which has exposed overreliance on tourism -- which, ironically, is dependent on British visitors...

[blueplum]

In June 2018 Barbados announced the default on its bonds, after revealing that its debt amounted to $7.5 billion (the fourth highest debt in debt-to-GDP ratio in the world).[12]
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economy_of_Barbados

“A North American island country in the Caribbean’s Lesser Antilles region, Barbados exported US$345.2 million worth of goods around the globe in 2020. That dollar amount reflects a -36.4% drop since 2016 and a -22.3% decrease from 2019 to 2020.

The latest available country-specific data shows that 83.1% of products exported from Barbados were bought by importers in: United States (13%), Jamaica (8.2%), Guyana (7.6%), Trinidad and Tobago (6.8%), Saint Lucia (4.9%), Canada (4.4%), Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (3.5%), France (3%), Antigua and Barbuda (2.9%), Grenada (also 2.9%) and United Kingdom (2.5%).
Given Barbados’ population of 287,000 people, the total $444.1 million in 2020 Barbadian exports translates to roughly $1,500 for every person living on the Caribbean island.
https://www.worldstopexports.com/barbados-top-10-exports/#:~:text=Barbados%E2%80%99%20Top%2010%20Exports%201%20Mineral%20fuels%20including,oils%2C%20waxes%3A%20%2412.2%20million%20%283.5%25%29%20More%20items...%20

[Reno89519]

Good riddance to the inbred monarchy.

[Fiji Hill]

A lot of good rum comes from Barbados.

[Deaf Smith]

Will the Queen send troops to put down the rebellion for independence from the Crown?

[Trumpet 1]

I think that if I were the new government of Barbados, I would try to keep the inbred Monarchy around such as to get the British to pay off the massive national debt. Then debt free, the new nation of Barbados could say good bye to the 100 year old Queen and say, thanks for your help, live long and prosper. And maybe set up some sort of trade deal with England to get lots of zero tariff goods flowing between the 2 nations. Hopefully, Barbados will not become a narcotics nation in order to balance the budget.

[Kevmo]

If they can declare independence, why can’t Taiwan?

[willk]

I hope they are more successful than Jamaica.

[MadMax, the Grinning Reaper]

Watch for the Red Chinese go offer financial aid and trade in return for port privileges, possibly running some of them, or outright basing rights.

[blueplum]

why should the Brits pay the nat’l debt? They didn't spend it. 385,000 Barbadosians inherit an island completely built out, with advanced infrastructure, ports, an existing industrial capability, and a lucrative tourist industry, that has failed to turn a profit because of low productivity versus a high population burden on the limited resources of an island.

Barbados gets about 23 million pounds a year in foreign aid from EU members. That's on top of the millions that England and the US has given in aid and lost trade credit.

Chances are strong that, like the Marshalls, China will start cozying up to Barbados promising ‘infrastructure’ or ‘medical training’ or some such to ingratiate themselves that will put Barbados in a compromising position. And the freedom and security they enjoyed under the British Commonwealth long gone. But they asked for it, so Good luck to them.

[hinckley buzzard]

Hm. They may become the new Grenada.

[Trumpet 1]

With a nation such as Barbados and its chiseling economy, it just makes sense to rip off as many nations as possible as many times as possible. Therefore the attempt to get England to pay for the national debt. Or the UN or NATO, or whom ever.

[nathanbedford]

The lee side of Barbados away from the tradewinds (Barbados is after all one of the windward isles) is one of the most charming and agreeable places on earth that fits nearly everyone's ideal picture of paradise. The Bajan people, unlike most of the inhabitants of the Caribbean, are accommodating, cheerful, relatively educated and cultured.

In short, the relatively benign state of the island today is a rebuttal to those anti-colonialists who universally condemn the British Empire.

The emergence from the British Empire or Commonwealth should have little practical effect on the everyday lives of the Barbadian people but it does reflect a growing international skepticism toward the Royals.

In many ways I confess I am a Tory Victorian at heart even as I pursue populist principles so I regret the inevitable decline of the House of Windsor brought about by self-inflicted wounds and character defects yet I understand that if the Royals were to abdicate today the Brits would have to run out tomorrow and hire another set for the American tourists.

[Redmen4ever]

Who needs a queen when you have Rihanna?

[BfloGuy]

If they can declare independence, why can’t Taiwan?

Because Britain won’t bomb Barbados?

[Winniesboy]

Barbados has been an independent nation since 1966. 15 former British colonies* recognise the British monarch as their non-executive Head of State. That doesn’t in any way affect their independence.
*Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, [Barbados], The Bahamas, Belize, Grenada, Canada, Jamaica, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Saint Lucia, Solomon Islands, St Kitts and Nevis, and St Vincent and the Grenadines.

[Winniesboy]

Just to clarify- Barbados is staying in the Commonwealth. It’s changing its head of state, that’s all. There are other Commonwealth countries which are republics. You don’t have to have the Queen to be a Commonwealth member.