Barbados is on its way to becoming a Republic, after Prime Minister Mia Mottley announced that the time has come for the country to “leave its colonial past behind” and remove Queen Elizabeth II as its Head of State.

At the opening of a new parliamentary session in Bridgetown, Governor-General Dame Sandra Mason said “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 in who we are and what we are capable of achieving.” 

It hopes to achieve Republic status by November 2021.

Once fulfilled, Barbados will join Trinidad and Tobago and Guyana as CARICOM member states who have severed ties with the monarchy. 

The Queen remains Head of State for nine CARICOM countries-Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Grenada, Jamaica, St Lucia, St Kitts and Nevis and St Vincent and the Grenadines