Queen Elizabeth II Will Be Removed As Head Of State For Barbados Next Year

Colonial Heritage in Barbados (Unsplash / Anthony Ingham)

JAKARTA - The government of Barbados plans to remove British Queen Elizabeth II as its head of state next year. According to the state official, this step is the will of the people who want to have a sovereign state.

“The time has come to completely abandon our colonial past. The Barbadian nation wants a head of state for its own people. This is a statement of the highest confidence about who we are and what we are capable of achieving, "said Barbados Governor General Sandra Mason.

To that end, they plan to achieve full sovereignty and become a republic when they celebrate the 55th anniversary of their independence. "Barbados will take steps towards full sovereignty and become a republic," said Mason.

If the plan goes smoothly, Barbados will form a republic in November next year. They have been dreaming of that idea for a long time. However, it seems that the momentum is only there now.

Disappointed

Allegedly, the idea of changing the form of the state into a republic arose after the people of Barbados were disappointed that the government was slow to take down the "colonial" image. Barbados is one of the countries where many people speak out for the Black Lives Matter movement.

As is known, the statue to be demolished is Horatio Nelson, which was founded in 1813. The art is located on Broad Street, the capital of Bridgetown.

Meanwhile, the Press Secretary of the Prime Minister of Barbados, Roy R. Morris, revealed that in fact there was no specific trigger to encourage the establishment of a republic. Morris said it was to fulfill a longstanding promise from Barbadian politicians.

Historically, Barbados is a territory of a former British colony which became independent in 1966. After that, the country with a population of less than 300 thousand people has maintained formal relations with the British monarchy.